A-Liga


A-Liga is a semi-professional association football league in Denmark and the highest division of the Danish football league system. Contested by 8 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation within the Danish Women's Football League. The league is overseen by the Danish Football Association. Clubs in the league must meet certain criteria concerning appropriate facilities and finances. All 8 clubs in the league qualify for the Danish Women's Cup. Each season's winners and runners-up qualify for the UEFA Women's Champions League qualification, while the bronze medallists qualify for the UEFA Women's Europa Cup qualification.
According to FIFA's 2023 Women's Benchmarking Report, the 2021-22 league season drew an average of 388 fans per game, 57% of players had signed compensated player contracts, and 29% of players enjoyed football as their primary income. A rise in interest and participation in women's football has driven increased investment into the league in recent years, although the best players in Denmark still often depart for fully professional clubs abroad.
In March 2025, TV 2 announced that they had secured the broadcasting rights to the league, running until 2031.

Format

The main round of the league is played in autumn as a double round-robin tournament between the 8 participating teams, where each team plays against each other both at home and away. The six best placed teams qualify for the spring championship play-offs, another double round-robin tournament among the six participating teams. The scores from the main league round carry over into the championship play-offs.
The two bottom ranked teams instead play in qualification play-offs, a double round-robin tournament with the top four teams of 2025–26 B-Liga for two spots in 2026–27 A-Liga. The scores from the main league round are not carried over into the qualification play-offs.

Scope

From 1994 to 2005/06 the league consisted of 8 teams playing each other 3 times and the best team then was awarded the championship. The last team was relegated with the second-to-last team facing the second team of the 1st Division in play-offs.
2006/07 was a transition year, because the league was extended to 10 teams. The last team after the season played a relegation match against the third placed team of the 1. division, for a place in Elitedivisionen. The top two teams of the 1. division were automatically promoted.
From 2007/08 to 2012/13 the league consisted of 10 teams. Those 10 teams played a double round robin as a regular season. After that there are 2 Playoff Groups. Place 1 to 4 of the regular season play the Championship Playoff. Place 5 to 10 play the Relegation Playoff. In the Playoffs, the points accumulated over the regular season are divided by 2. Those points are the starting points for the playoffs. The Championship group plays another round robin with the winner being awarded the championship title. The Relegation Group plays a single round robin after which, the bottom two clubs are relegated.
The 2013/14 season again was played only with eight teams. The top six after the regular season play a championship league, the seventh and the eight placed teams play in a qualification league determining whether they keep their spots or get relegated.
In August 2025, it was announced that the 2026–2027 season would be expanded to include 10 teams.

History

The league's status as semi-professional presented challenges for its return-to-play from the 2019–2020 COVID-19 pandemic, as initially only fully professional sports were allowed to resume in Denmark following the pandemic.

Name

The division has gone through multiple iterations over the course of its history. It began as The Danish Ladies Tournament, then Danish Ladies 1st Division, The Danish Elite Division and The Danish Women's League. For sponsorship reasons, it was known as 3F Ligaen for fourteen seasons and from 2019–2025 as Gjensidige Kvindeligaen.
In 2025, the pyramid was renamed, with the top flight now called A-Liga, and the corresponding lower levels B-Liga and C-Liga, respectively.

Clubs

Champions

The list also includes the national champions of 1973 and 1974 that were crowned before the official establishment of a nationwide top-flight division in 1975. Italics indicate former champions that are currently outside the A-Liga.
ClubWinnersWinning seasons
Fortuna Hjørring12221994, 1995, 1996, 1998–99, 2001–02, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2013–14, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20, 2024–25
Brøndby IF12102002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15, 2016–17, 2018–19
AGF1061982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1996–97, 1997–98
B 1909551981, 1983, 1985, 1992, 1993
Ribe BK511973, 1974, 1976, 1978, 1979
BK Femina341975, 1977, 1980
HB Køge302020–21, 2021–22, 2022–23
OB Q201999–2000, 2000–01
FC Nordsjælland112023–24

2025–26 season

Club2024–25TitlesLatest title
Brøndby IF4th1996302000–200126122018–2019
Fortuna Hjørring1st197552122024–2025
HB Køge3rd2019–2020732022–2023
Kolding IF8th1975302008–2009180
FC Midtjylland1st 2025–202610
FC Nordsjælland2nd2019–202072019–202012023–2024
Odense Boldklub Q5th1990292024–2025222000–2001
Aarhus GF6th1976TBATBATBA101997–1998

Top flight seasons

74 teams have played in the top flight since its inaugural season in 1975. However, several teams have merged over the years to form the current clubs, the combined results of which will be displayed where noted. The teams in bold compete in the A-Liga currently, while the teams in italics are now defunct.
Incomplete
#ClubLatest
1Fortuna Hjørring522026
2AGF Fodbold512026
3BSF362020
4Brøndby IF302026
5Kolding IF302026
6OB Q292026
7Vejle BK282018
8Rødovre BK261999
9B 1909201994
10Hillerød Fodbold152002
11BK Femina142000
12Ringsted IF13
13BK Stjernen11
14B52/Aalborg FC102001
15Sydmors IF101993
16Sundby BK92023
17Varde IF92018
18Vorup BK92000
19Team Viborg82015
20FC Nordsjælland72026
21Næstved HG7
22AaB72024
23Frederiksberg BK62004
24HB Køge62026
25Herning IK6
26Ribe BK61980
27FC Thy-Thisted Q62024
28G&IF Orient51979
29Herrested IF51981
30Uhre G&IF51984
31Virum-Sorgenfri BK51984
32B.9342025
33Horsens SIK42005
34FC Midtjylland12026

;Notes

Hall of Fame members

The Danish Football Association Hall of Fame was created in 2006 to celebrate the achievements and contributions of outstanding Danish players and staff. Four players who have played in the Danish top tier A-Liga, as well as one former A-Liga coach, have been inducted into the Danish Football Hall of Fame thus far.
RecipientYearClub
Lone Smidt Nielsen2016B1909, Kolding IF
Katrine Pedersen2022Hjortshøj-Egå /IK Skovbakken
Helle Jensen2024B52/Aalborg FC, B1909, Fortuna Hjørring
Merete Pedersen2024Vejle BK, OB
Poul Højmose2025Hjortshøj-Egå