Besta deild karla facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Besta deild karla

Founded	1912; 113 years ago (1912)
Country	Iceland
Confederation	UEFA
Number of teams	12
Level on pyramid	1
Relegation to	Lengjudeildin
Domestic cup(s)	Mjólkurbikarinn League Cup Super Cup
International cup(s)	UEFA Champions League UEFA Europa League UEFA Conference League
Current champions	Breiðablik (3rd title) (2024)
Most championships	KR (27)
Top goalscorer	Patrick Pedersen (133 goals)
TV partners	Domestic: Stöð 2 Sport International: Eleven Sports OneFootball

The Besta deild karla is the top professional football league for men in Iceland. It's like the premier league of Icelandic football! This exciting competition started way back in 1912.

Because Iceland has cold winters, games are usually played in spring and summer, from April to September. The league is managed by the Football Association of Iceland (KSÍ) and has 12 teams.

The league was once known as Úrvalsdeild karla. For many years, from 2009 to 2022, it was called the Pepsi Max League because of a sponsorship deal. In 2022, it got its current name, Besta deild karla, which means "Men's Best Division."

How the League Works

In the Besta deild karla, all the teams play each other twice: once at home and once away. This makes for a full season of matches!

Promotion and Relegation

At the end of each season, the two teams with the fewest points move down to a lower league called 1. deild karla (First Division). At the same time, the two best teams from the First Division get to move up and join the Besta deild karla. This system keeps the league exciting and competitive!

European Competitions

The team that wins the Besta deild karla gets a special chance to play in the UEFA Champions League. This is a huge European competition where the best clubs from all over Europe compete. The teams that finish second, third, and fourth in the Besta deild karla also get to play in another European competition called the UEFA Europa League.

Top Teams and Champions

Over the years, many teams have won the Besta deild karla title. The team with the most wins is KR, with an amazing 27 titles! Valur is close behind with 23 titles. Other successful teams include ÍA and Fram Reykjavík, both with 18 titles.

The team that won the 2024 title is Breiðablik.

Current Clubs (2025 Season)

Here are the teams playing in the Besta deild karla for the 2025 season:

Source:

History of Champions

The Icelandic league has been around for over 100 years, and 11 different teams have won the championship title. KR has won the most titles, with 27. Stjarnan is one of the newer teams to win, getting their first title in 2014.

Most of the winning teams come from the Capital Region of Iceland. This is because nearly two-thirds of Iceland's population lives there. Only four teams from outside this area have ever won the league: Keflavík, ÍA, ÍBV, and KA.

List of Champions by Year

Here's a list of the teams that have won the championship each year:

* There was no competition in 1913 and 1914, and Fram was awarded the title.
** In 2020 the competition was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Valur was awarded the title because they were at the top of the table when the season ended.

Champions by Number of Titles

This chart shows which clubs have won the most Besta deild karla titles:

Clubs in bold are currently playing in the top-tier.

Top Players in the League

All-Time Top Scorers

These players have scored the most goals in the history of the Besta deild karla:

LAST SEASON	TOP SCORER'S NAME	GOALS	CLUB
2025	Patrick Pedersen	133	Valur
2013	Tryggvi Guðmundsson	131	ÍBV, KR, FH, Fylkir
1987	Ingi Björn Albertsson	126	Valur, FH

Top Scorers Each Season

Here are the players who scored the most goals in specific seasons:

Season	Top scorer	Goals	Club
1980	Matthias Hallgrimsson	15	Valur
1981	Sigurlás Þorleifsson Larus Gudmundsson	12	ÍBV Víkingur R.
1982	Sigurlás Þorleifsson Heimir Karlsson	10	ÍBV Víkingur R.
1983	Ingi Björn Albertsson	14	Valur
1984	Guðmundur Steinsson	10	Fram
1985	Ómar Torfason	13	Fram
1986	Gudmundur Torfason	19	Fram
1987	Petur Ormslev	12	Fram
1988	Sigurjón Kristjánsson	13	Valur
1989	Hörður Magnússon	12	FH
1990	Hörður Magnússon	13	FH
1991	Hörður Magnússon Guðmundur Steinsson	13	FH Víkingur R.
1992	Arnar Gunnlaugsson	15	ÍA
1993	Þórður Guðjónsson	19	ÍA
1994	Mihajlo Biberčić	14	ÍA
1995	Arnar Gunnlaugsson	15	ÍA
1996	Ríkharður Daðason	14	KR
1997	Tryggvi Guðmundsson	19	ÍBV
1998	Steingrímur Jóhannesson	16	ÍBV
1999	Steingrímur Jóhannesson	12	ÍBV
2000	Guðmundur Steinarsson Andri Sigþórsson	14	Keflavík KR
2001	Hjörtur Hjartarson	15	ÍA
2002	Grétar Hjartarson	13	Grindavík
2003	Björgólfur Takefusa	10	Þróttur R.
2004	Gunnar Heiðar Þorvaldsson	12	ÍBV
2005	Tryggvi Guðmundsson	16	FH
2006	Marel Baldvinsson	11	Breiðablik
2007	Jónas Grani Garðarsson	13	Fram
2008	Guðmundur Steinarsson	16	Keflavík
2009	Björgólfur Takefusa	16	KR
2010	Atli Viðar Björnsson Alfreð Finnbogason Gilles Mbang Ondo	14	FH Breiðablik Grindavík
2011	Garðar Jóhannsson	15	Stjarnan
2012	Atli Guðnason	12	FH
2013	Atli Viðar Björnsson Viðar Örn Kjartansson Gary Martin	13	FH Fylkir KR
2014	Gary Martin	13	KR
2015	Patrick Pedersen	13	Valur
2016	Garðar Gunnlaugsson	14	ÍA
2017	Andri Rúnar Bjarnason	19	Grindavík
2018	Patrick Pedersen	17	Valur
2019	Gary Martin	14	Valur/ÍBV
2020	Steven Lennon	17	FH
2021	Nikolaj Hansen	16	Víkingur R.
2022	Nökkvi Þeyr Þórisson Guðmundur Magnússon	17	KA Fram
2023	Emil Atlason	17	Stjarnan
2024	Benoný Breki Andrésson	21	KR

Player of the Year

Each season, a special award is given to the best player in the league. Here are some of the past winners:

Season	Player of the Year	Club
1984	Bjarni Sigurðsson	ÍA
1985	Guðmundur Þorbjörnsson	Valur
1986	Guðmundur Torfason	Fram
1987	Pétur Ormslev	Fram
1988	Sigurjón Kristjánsson	Valur
1989	Þorvaldur Örlygsson	KA
1990	Sævar Jónsson	Valur
1991	Guðmundur Steinsson	Víkingur R.
1992	Lúkas Kostic	ÍA
1993	Sigurður Jónsson	ÍA
1994	Sigursteinn Gíslason	ÍA
1995	Ólafur Þórðarson	ÍA
1996	Gunnar Oddsson	Leiftur
1997	Tryggvi Guðmundsson	ÍBV
1998	David Winnie	KR
1999	Guðmundur Benediktsson	KR
2000	Hlynur Stefánsson	ÍBV
2001	Gunnlaugur Jónsson	ÍA
2002	Finnur Kolbeinsson	Fylkir
2003	Allan Borgvardt	FH
2004	Heimir Guðjónsson	FH
2005	Allan Borgvardt	FH
2006	Viktor Bjarki Arnarsson	Víkingur R.
2007	Helgi Sigurðsson	Valur
2008	Guðmundur Steinarsson	Keflavík
2009	Atli Guðnason	FH
2010	Alfreð Finnbogason	Breiðablik
2011	Hannes Þór Halldórsson	KR
2012	Atli Guðnason	FH
2013	Björn Daníel Sverrisson	FH
2014	Ingvar Jónsson	Stjarnan
2015	Emil Pálsson	FH
2016	Kristinn Freyr Sigurðsson	Valur
2017	Andri Rúnar Bjarnason	Grindavík
2018	Patrick Pedersen	Valur
2019	Óskar Örn Hauksson	KR
2020	Steven Lennon	FH
2021	Nikolaj Hansen	Víkingur R.
2022	Nökkvi Þeyr Þórisson	KA
2023	Birnir Snær Ingason	Víkingur R.
2024	Höskuldur Gunnlaugsson	Breiðablik

Young Player of the Year

This award celebrates the best young talent in the league. Many of these players have gone on to play for their country! Caps correct as of 5 August 2025

Season	Player	Club	International caps	International goals
1984	Guðni Bergsson	Valur	80	1
1985	Halldór Áskelsson	Þór Akureyri	24	4
1986	Gauti Laxdal	Fram	0	0
1987	Rúnar Kristinsson	KR	104	3
1988	Arnljótur Davíðsson	Fram	3	0
1989	Ólafur Gottskálksson	ÍA	9	0
1990	Steinar Guðgeirsson	Fram	1	0
1991	Arnar Grétarsson	Breiðablik	71	2
1992	Arnar Gunnlaugsson	ÍA	32	3
1993	Þórður Guðjónsson	ÍA	58	13
1994	Eiður Guðjohnsen	Valur	88	26
1995	Tryggvi Guðmundsson	ÍBV	42	12
1996	Bjarni Guðjónsson	ÍA	23	1
1997	Sigurvin Ólafsson	ÍBV	7	0
1998	Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson	ÍR	1	0
1999	Grétar Hjartarson	Grindavík	1	0
2000	Helgi Valur Daníelsson	Fylkir	33	0
2001	Grétar Rafn Steinsson	ÍA	46	4
2002	Gunnar Heiðar Þorvaldsson	ÍBV	24	5
2003	Ólafur Ingi Skúlason	Fylkir	36	1
2004	Emil Hallfreðsson	FH	73	1
2005	Hörður Sveinsson	Keflavik	0	0
2006	Birkir Sævarsson	Valur	103	3
2007	Matthías Vilhjálmsson	FH	15	2
2008	Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson	Breiðablik	99	8
2009	Alfreð Finnbogason	Breiðablik	73	18
2010	Kristinn Steindórsson	Breiðablik	3	2
2011	Þórarinn Ingi Valdimarsson	ÍBV	4	0
2012	Jón Daði Böðvarsson	Selfoss	64	4
2013	Arnór Ingvi Traustason	Keflavík	67	6
2014	Elías Már Ómarsson	Keflavík	9	0
2015	Höskuldur Gunnlaugsson	Breiðablik	8	0
2016	Óttar Magnús Karlsson	Víkingur R.	11	2
2017	Alex Þór Hauksson	Stjarnan	4	0
2018	Willum Þór Willumsson	Breiðablik	18	0
2019	Finnur Tómas Pálmason	KR	1	0
2020	Valgeir Lunddal Friðriksson	Valur	16	0
2021	Kristall Máni Ingason	Víkingur R.	6	0
2022	Ísak Andri Sigurgeirsson	Stjarnan	0	0
2023	Eggert Aron Guðmundsson	Stjarnan	0	0
2024	Benoný Breki Andrésson	KR	0	0

Teams and Their Seasons in Besta deild

A total of 33 different teams have played in Iceland's top football division. The list below includes all seasons up to and including the 2025 season. Teams in bold are playing in the 2025 season.

¹ ÍBA was a sports group from Akureyri, made up of KA and Þór. It stopped after the 1974 season, and KA and Þór started playing as their own teams. ² ÍBH was a sports group from Hafnarfjörður, made up of FH and Haukar. It stopped after the 1963 season, and FH and Haukar started playing as their own teams. ³ ÍBÍ had money problems and stopped playing after the 1987 season. Most of its players moved to BÍ, which became the main football club in Ísafjörður. BÍ is now known as Vestri. ⁴ Leiftur also had money problems and later joined with KS from Siglufjörður. These teams then stopped playing to form a new club for both towns, called KF.

See also

In Spanish: Úrvalsdeild Karla para niños

• Besta deild kvenna (Iceland's top women's football league)
• List of football clubs in Iceland