Nordic Football Championship facts for kids
The Nordic Football Championship was a special football tournament. It was played between the men's national teams from the Nordic countries. These countries include Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Later, Iceland and the Faroe Islands also joined.
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History of the Nordic Football Championship
The tournament started because Denmark, Norway, and Sweden agreed to play two football matches against each other every year. The first official tournament began four years later. This was when the Danish Football Association celebrated its 35th birthday.
Early Tournaments and Rules
It was decided that the teams would play five times against each other. These matches were part of a group stage. The Danish Football Association made the trophy for the winner. Denmark won this very first tournament.
The second tournament was started by the Swedish Football Association. They were celebrating their 25th anniversary. This time, Finland was invited to play. The rules changed a bit for this tournament. Each tournament would now last for four years. During this time, each team would play 12 matches.
Winners and World War II
Norway won the second tournament. But after that, Sweden became very strong. They won the next nine tournaments in a row! The fourth tournament lasted much longer, for 11 years. This was because of World War II, which made it hard to play games.
End of the Tournament
The Nordic Football Championship was popular for a long time. Teams used it to get ready for bigger international tournaments. However, in the 1970s, the tournament became less popular. It finally ended in 1983.
The Last Edition
A new version of the tournament happened in 2000 and 2001. For this edition, Iceland and the Faroe Islands joined the competition. Some of the matches were played in Spain. But most games took place in the home stadiums of the participating teams. The very last match of the 2000–01 tournament was never played.
Tournament Winners
Here are the teams that won the Nordic Football Championship:
Sweden: 9 wins (1933–36, 1937–47, 1948–51, 1952–55, 1956–59, 1960–63, 1964–67, 1968–71, 1972–77)
Denmark: 3 wins (1924–28, 1978–80, 1981–85)
Finland: 1 win (2000–01)
Norway: 1 win (1929–32)
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | 3rd Place | 4th Place |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1924–28 Details |
 Denmark |
 Sweden |
 Norway |
Only three teams |
| 1929–32 Details |
Norway |
Sweden |
Denmark |
 Finland |
| 1933–36 Details |
Sweden |
Denmark |
Norway |
Finland |
| 1937–47 Details |
Sweden |
Denmark |
Norway |
Finland |
| 1948–51 Details |
Sweden |
Denmark |
Norway |
Finland |
| 1952–55 Details |
Sweden |
Norway |
Denmark |
Finland |
| 1956–59 Details |
Sweden |
Norway |
Denmark |
Finland |
| 1960–63 Details |
Sweden |
Denmark |
Norway |
Finland |
| 1964–67 Details |
Sweden |
Denmark |
Finland |
Norway |
| 1968–71 Details |
Sweden |
Denmark |
Norway |
Finland |
| 1972–77 Details |
Sweden |
Denmark |
Norway |
Finland |
| 1978–80 Details |
Denmark |
Sweden |
Norway |
Finland |
| 1981–85 Details |
Denmark |
Sweden |
Norway |
Finland |
| 2000–01 Details |
Finland |
 Iceland |
Denmark |
Norway |
See also
In Spanish: Campeonato Nórdico de fútbol para niños
