Norwegian Football Cup


The Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed from Norgesmesterskap. These terms are used to describe both the men's and women's competitions. The equivalent competition for women's teams is the Norwegian Women's Football Cup.
The Norwegian Football Cup is a national championship, meaning that while the Eliteserien may be the most prestigious competition to win, it is the winners of the Cup who are awarded the title "Norwegian football champions". This differs from, for example, English football, where the winners of the Premier League are the ones who become English champions.
Winners receive the King's trophy. Winners also qualify for the Europa League second qualifying round and a place in the Mesterfinalen, the Norwegian super cup match. The current Norwegian champions and holders of the cup are Viking, who defeated Haugesund 1–0 in the 2019 final. Odd and Rosenborg are the most successful clubs with 12 titles each.

History

The first cup was played in 1902, and Oscar II presented the King's Cup to the inaugural tournament. This was an invitation tournament organised by Kristiania IF and the Norwegian Football Association, which was later given official status. Five teams joined the competition, and Odd reached the final without playing a match. Grane won the first Norwegian Cup after they defeated Odd 2–0 at Gamle Frogner Stadion, Kristiania. The first tournament who had official status at the time of the events was the 1904 Norwegian Cup and was won by Odd. In the beginning, the cup was open for county champions only. This continued until 1933, when the cup was opened for all clubs of a certain standing. League football began with the 1937–38 season, and Fredrikstad became the first team to win a domestic double by winning both the league and the cup in the same year. Due to the outbreak of World War II, the competition was not played between the 1940 and 1945 editions. The competition was not nationwide until 1963. 1963 was the first year clubs from Northern Norway were allowed to participate, this was due to a poor communication system in the northern parts of Norway and to the belief that the clubs in the three northern counties could not compete on the same level as the southern clubs. Until 1963, teams from Northern Norway their own Northern Norwegian Championships.
Before the 2004 cup final, NRK awarded the 1986 final between Tromsø and Lillestrøm with the title Tidenes Cupfinale, and ex-Rosenborg striker Gøran Sørloth with Tidenes Cuphelt.
The final has been played at Ullevaal Stadion since the 1948 cup final.

Format

Overview

Before the proper rounds take place, two qualifying rounds are played in March and April. 176 clubs from tier 4 and 5 enter the first qualifying round and 44 of these advance to the first round where they are joined by 84 teams from tiers 1, 2 and 3.
The first round of the cup are played in April, around the same time as the Eliteserien season starts. The first two rounds are set up by the Norwegian Football Association, and the top flight teams are usually pitted against fairly weak amateur teams, often in rural areas, on the amateur team's home pitch. Early upsets, where an amateur team knocks a professional team out of the tournament do happen occasionally. For example, in 2012 the Eliteserien teams Sandnes Ulf and Sogndal were knocked out in the first round by the third division teams Staal Jørpeland IL and Florø SK respectively. Even if the amateur team loses, squaring off against a professional team may well be the highlight of their season.
From the third round to the semi-final, matchups are drawn at random, the teams face off once, and the winner goes on to the next round. The final match is played at Ullevaal Stadium in November or December, and takes place near the end of the Norwegian football season.
The cup is very popular in Norway, and tickets for the final match are hard to get hold of, as the game usually sells out quickly. The supporters of the two teams playing in the final match are seated at the two short-ends of the pitch, while the more neutral supporters are seated by the long-ends. The match is also televised on national television.

Schedule

Most entrants from level 4 and all entrants from level 5 have to play to qualifying rounds to join the competition proper. Reserve teams of Eliteserien clubs, who are eligible to play in 2. divisjon cannot enter. Depending on the number of reserve teams, the first round proper will be filled with the best clubs from level 4 until the number of teams from levels 1–4 is 84. Clubs from higher levels are then added in the first round, as per the table below. The months in which rounds are played are traditional, with exact dates subject to each year's calendar.

Tiebreaking

In all rounds, if a fixture result in a draw after normal time, the winner is settled by a period of extra time, and if still necessary, a penalty shootout. Earlier, fixtures resulting in a draw would go to a replay, played at the venue of the away team.
The first Cup Final to go to a replay was the 1945 final, between Lyn and Fredrikstad. The initial tie finished 1–1 and the first replay also finished 1–1. Lyn won the second replay 4–0. The only other time the final has taken three matches to settle was the 1965 final between Oslo rivals Skeid and Frigg. The last replayed final was the 1995 final, when Rosenborg and Brann fought a 1–1 draw. The replay saw Rosenborg win the Cup, with the score 3–1. The first final to be decided by a penalty shootout was the 2009 final between Molde and Aalesund. The score ended 1–1 after normal time and 2–2 after extra time. Aalesund won the final 5–4 on penalties.

Qualification for subsequent competitions

European football

Prior to 2020, the Cup winners qualified for the following season's UEFA Europa League. Effecting from the 2020 Norwegian Cup, winners will qualify for the UEFA Europa Conference League. This European place applies even if the team is relegated or is not in the Norwegian top flight. In the past, if the Cup winning team also qualified for the following season's Champions League or Europa League through their league position, then the losing Cup finalist were given this European berth instead. Norwegian Cup winners enter the Europa League at the second qualifying round. Losing finalists, if they haven't qualified for Europe via the league, began earlier, at the first qualifying round. From the 2015–16 UEFA Europa League season, however, UEFA does not allow the runners-up to qualify for the Europa League through the competition. If the winner – and until 2015, the runner-up –
has already qualified for Europe through their league position, the Cup berth was then given to the highest-place team in the league who has not yet qualified.

Mesterfinalen

The Cup winners also qualify for the following season's single-match Mesterfinalen, a season opener played against the previous season's Eliteserien champions.

Finals

Key

SeasonWinnerScoreRunner-upRefereeVenueAtt.
1902Grane2 – 0OddBredo Larsen, Gamle Frogner stadion, Kristiania
1903Odd1 – 0GraneFinn Hagemann, Gamle Frogner stadion, Kristiania
1904Odd4 – 0Porsgrunds FCThomas Wiborg, Skien Sportsplassen, Skien800
1905Odd2 – 1AkademiskArthur Nordlie, Gamle Frogner stadion, Kristiania3,000
1906Odd1 – 0SarpsborgSverre Strand, Gamle Frogner stadion, Kristiania
1907Mercantile3 – 0SarpsborgAugust Heiberg Kahrs, Nedre Frednes, Porsgrunn4,000
1908Lyn3 – 2OddCharles Stanley Davis, Gamle Frogner stadion, Kristiania
1909Lyn4 – 3 *OddChristian Wiese, Gamle Frogner stadion, Kristiania4,000
1910Lyn4 – 2OddTheodor Hansen, Gamle Frogner stadion, Kristiania5,000
1911Lyn5 – 2UræddRuben Gelbord, Gamle Frogner stadion, Kristiania5,000
1912Mercantile6 – 0FramTryggve Lund, Gamle Frogner stadion, Kristiania2,000
1913Odd2 – 1MercantileRuben Gelbord, Urædd stadion, Porsgrunn10,000
1914Frigg4 – 2Gjøvik-LynDaniel Eie, Frogner stadion, Kristiania10,000
1915Odd2 – 1Kvik FredrikshaldPeder Christian Andersen, Sarpsborg stadion, Sarpsborg6,000
1916Frigg2 – 0ØrnPeder Christian Andersen, Skøitebanen, Trondheim4,000
1917Sarpsborg4 – 1BrannArne Wendelborg, Stavanger stadion, Stavanger10,000
1918Kvik Fredrikshald4 – 0BrannRagnvald Smedvik, Marienlyst stadion, Drammen12,000
1919Odd1 – 0FriggPeder Christian Andersen, Fram sportsplass, Larvik10,000
1920Ørn1 – 0FriggFredrik Schieldrop, Vestre Holmen, Kristiania14,000
1921Frigg Oslo2 – 0OddAlf Lagesen, Vestre Holmen, Kristiania20,000
1922Odd5 – 1Kvik FredrikshaldThorvald E. Johnsen, Brann stadion, Bergen8,000
1923Brann2 – 1LynKarl Aug. Andersen, Odds gressbane, Skien8,000
1924Odd3 – 0MjøndalenTrygve Høgbergh, Sorgenfri gressbane, Trondheim7,000
1925Brann3 – 0SarpsborgFridtjof Johansen, Old Fredrikstad Stadion, Fredrikstad10,000
1926Odd3 – 0ØrnFinn Grefberg, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo16,000
1927Ørn4 – 0DrafnFritz Lütcherath, Sandefjord stadion, Sandefjord3,000
1928Ørn2 – 1LynPaulus Nilsen, Halden stadion, Halden6,717
1929Sarpsborg2 – 1 *ØrnThoralf Kristiansen, Stavanger stadion, Stavanger13,000
1930Ørn4 – 2Drammens BKReidar Randers-Johansen, Brann stadion, Bergen6,000
1931Odd3 – 1MjøndalenBjarne H. Bech, Lovisenlund idrettsplass, Larvik13,000
1932Fredrikstad6 – 1ØrnOscar Arvid Carlsen, Marienlyst stadion, Drammen17,000
1933Mjøndalen3 – 1VikingEivind Johansen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo23,000
1934Mjøndalen2 – 1 *SarpsborgKolbjørn Dæhlen, Sorgenfri gressbane, Trondheim8,000
1935Fredrikstad4 – 0SarpsborgThoralf Christiansen, Sarpsborg stadion, Sarpsborg15,200
1936Fredrikstad2 – 0MjøndalenKåre Gunnar Kinn, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo20,000
1937Mjøndalen4 – 2OddAlf Simensen, Urædd stadion, Porsgrunn17,000
1938Fredrikstad3 – 2 *MjøndalenFinn Amundsen, Briskeby gressbane, Hamar14,500
1939Sarpsborg2 – 1SkeidGullik Hagajore, Tønsberg gressbane, Tønsberg8,000
1940Fredrikstad3 – 0SkeidThorleiv Nordbø, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo30,000
1945Lyn1 – 1 *FredrikstadHaakon Engebretsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo34,162
1945 Lyn1 – 1 *FredrikstadEdvin Pedersen, Sarpsborg stadion, Sarpsborg18,000
1945 Lyn4 – 0FredrikstadNils Gundersen, Bislett Stadium, Oslo31,412
1946Lyn
3 – 2 *FredrikstadSverre Hermansen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo35,000
1947Skeid2 – 0VikingBjarne Halvorsen, Brann stadion, Bergen25,000
1948Sarpsborg1 – 0FredrikstadJohan Narvestad, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo35,000
1949Sarpsborg3 – 1SkeidSvend J. Svendsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo36,000
1950Fredrikstad3 – 0BrannJosef Larsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo35,367
1951Sarpsborg3 – 2 *AskerFolke Bålstad, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo30,639
1952Sparta3 – 2SolbergHelge Ladim, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo30,639
1953Viking2 – 1LillestrømØivind Helgesen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo31,102
1954Skeid3 – 0FredrikstadFinn Å. Bråthen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo34,794
1955Skeid5 – 0LillestrømHenry Klausen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo33,825
1956Skeid2 – 0Larvik TurnGunnar Andersen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo33,444
1957Fredrikstad4 – 0Sandefjord BKLeif Gulliksen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo33,073
1958Skeid1 – 0LillestrømBirger Nilsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo32,579
1959Viking3 – 1Sandefjord BKTrygve Dahlgren, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo28,195
1960Rosenborg3 – 3 *OddHarald Heltberg, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo31,135
1960 Rosenborg3 – 2OddArnold Nilsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo29,743
1961Fredrikstad7 – 0HaugarBjørn Borgersen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo30,273
1962Gjøvik-Lyn2 – 0VardGeorg Dragvoll, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo31,157
1963Skeid2 – 0 *FredrikstadKåre Furulund, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo31,444
1964Rosenborg2 – 1SarpsborgJohan Riseth, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo24,665
1965Skeid2 – 2 *FriggFinn Bolstad, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo18,821
1965 Skeid1 – 1 *FriggRolf Hansen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo8,826
1965 Skeid2 – 1FriggSverre Eugen Olsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo8,990
1966Fredrikstad3 – 2LynHans Granlund, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo30,335
1967Lyn4 – 1RosenborgIvar Hornslien, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo27,389
1968Lyn3 – 0MjøndalenHenry Øberg, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo21,101
1969Strømsgodset2 – 2 *FredrikstadRolf H. Andersen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo27,529
1969 Strømsgodset5 – 3FredrikstadKåre Sirevaag, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo24,022
1970Strømsgodset4 – 2LynEinar Røed, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,744
1971Rosenborg4 – 1FredrikstadRolf Nyhus, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,180
1972Brann1 – 0RosenborgKjell Wahlen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo17,700
1973Strømsgodset1 – 0RosenborgSvein-Inge Thime, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo23,209
1974Skeid3 – 1VikingEgil Bergstad, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo14,276
1975Bodø/Glimt2 – 0VardKaare Lindboe, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo24,778
1976Brann2 – 1SogndalOdd Johannessen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo22,834
1977Lillestrøm1 – 0Bodø/GlimtRolf Haugen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo22,648
1978Lillestrøm2 – 1BrannReidar Bjørnestad, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo23,534
1979Viking2 – 1HaugarIvar Fredriksen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,000
1980Vålerenga4 – 1LillestrømEinar Halle, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo23,000
1981Lillestrøm3 – 1MossJan Erik Olsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo22,895
1982Brann3 – 2MoldeTorbjørn Aass, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo24,000
1983Moss2 – 0VålerengaThorodd Presberg, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo23,000
1984Fredrikstad3 – 3 *VikingPer Arne Larsgård, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo23,668
1984 Fredrikstad3 – 2VikingEinar Halle, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo15,993
1985Lillestrøm4 – 1VålerengaTore Hollung, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo18,500
1986Tromsø4 – 1LillestrømEgil Nervik, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo22,000
1987Bryne1 – 0 *BrannKjell Nordby, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo23,080
1988Rosenborg2 – 2 *BrannBjørn Kronborg, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo23,500
1988 Rosenborg2 – 0BrannThorodd Presberg, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo23,700
1989Viking2 – 2 *MoldeRune Pedersen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo23,000
1989 Viking2 – 1MoldeEgil Nervik, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo9,856
1990Rosenborg5 – 1FyllingenArild Haugstad, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo30,000
1991Strømsgodset3 – 2RosenborgRoy Helge Olsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo27,240
1992Rosenborg3 – 2LillestrømRune Pedersen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo28,217
1993Bodø/Glimt2 – 0StrømsgodsetSven Kjelbrott, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo26,315
1994Molde3 – 2LynTerje Singsaas, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo24,524
1995Rosenborg1 – 1 *BrannJon E. Skjervold, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo27,561
1995 Rosenborg3 – 1BrannRune Pedersen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo20,076
1996Tromsø2 – 1Bodø/GlimtTerje Hauge, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo22,683
1997Vålerenga4 – 2StrømsgodsetRoy Helge Olsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo22,678
1998Stabæk3 – 1 *RosenborgRune Pedersen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo23,251
1999Rosenborg2 – 0BrannTom Henning Øvrebø, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,296
2000Odd Grenland2 – 1 *VikingFrode Kvam, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo24,864
2001Viking3 – 0BryneKjell Alseth, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,823
2002Vålerenga1 – 0Odd GrenlandTommy Skjerven, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,481
2003Rosenborg3 – 1 *Bodø/GlimtTerje Hauge, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,447
2004Brann4 – 1LynEspen Berntsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,458
2005Molde4 - 2 *LillestrømBrage Sandmoen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,182
2006Fredrikstad3 – 0Sandefjord FotballTom Henning Øvrebø, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,102
2007Lillestrøm2 – 0HaugesundPer Ivar Staberg, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo24,361
2008Vålerenga4 – 1StabækSvein Oddvar Moen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo24,823
2009Aalesund2 – 2 †
MoldeKristoffer Helgerud, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,500
2010Strømsgodset2 – 0FolloTom Harald Hagen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo24,500
2011Aalesund2 – 1BrannSvein-Erik Edvartsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,032
2012Hødd1 – 1 †
TromsøKjetil Sælen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo24,217
2013Molde4 – 2RosenborgSvein Oddvar Moen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo24,824
2014Molde2 – 0OddDag Vidar Hafsås, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo26,528
2015Rosenborg2 – 0Sarpsborg 08Ken Henry Johnsen, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo26,507
2016Rosenborg4 – 0KongsvingerTore Hansen Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo26,912
2017Lillestrøm3 – 2Sarpsborg 08Ola Hobber Nilsen Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo25,091
2018Rosenborg4 – 1StrømsgodsetTrond Ivar Døvle Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo22,182
2019Viking1 – 0HaugesundEspen Eskås Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo21,895

Winners and finalists

Results by team

Since its establishment, the Norwegian Cup has been won by 27 different teams. Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence.
ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning YearsYears as runners-up
Odd1291903, 1904, 1905, 1906, 1913, 1915, 1919, 1922, 1924, 1926, 1931, 20001902, 1908, 1909, 1910, 1921, 1937, 1960, 2002, 2014
Rosenborg1261960, 1964, 1971, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1999, 2003, 2015, 2016, 20181967, 1972, 1973, 1991, 1998, 2013
Fredrikstad1171932, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1940, 1950, 1957, 1961, 1966, 1984, 20061945, 1946, 1948, 1954, 1963, 1969, 1971
Lyn861908, 1909, 1910, 1911, 1945, 1946, 1967, 19681923, 1928, 1966, 1970, 1994, 2004
Skeid831947, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1963, 1965, 19741939, 1940, 1949
Brann691923, 1925, 1972, 1976, 1982, 20041917, 1918, 1950, 1978, 1987, 1988, 1995 1999, 2011
Lillestrøm671977, 1978, 1981, 1985, 2007, 20171953, 1955, 1958, 1980, 1986, 1992, 2005
Sarpsborg661917, 1929, 1939, 1948, 1949, 19511906, 1907, 1925, 1934, 1935, 1964
Viking651953, 1959, 1979, 1989, 2001, 20191933, 1947, 1974, 1984, 2000
Strømsgodset531969, 1970, 1973, 1991, 20101993, 1997
Ørn-Horten441920, 1927, 1928, 19301916, 1926, 1929, 1932
Molde431994, 2005, 2013, 20141982, 1989, 2009
Vålerenga421980, 1997, 2002, 20081983, 1985
Mjøndalen351933, 1934, 19371924, 1931, 1936, 1938, 1968
Frigg331914, 1916, 19211919, 1920, 1965
Bodø/Glimt231975, 19931977, 1996, 2003
Mercantile211907, 19121913
Tromsø211986, 19962012
Aalesund2–2009, 2011–
Kvik Halden
1219181915, 1922
SK Grane1119021903
Gjøvik/Lyn1119621914
Moss1119831981
Bryne1119872001
Stabæk1119982008
Sparta1–1952–
Hødd1–2012–
Urædd
–2–1904, 1911
Sandefjord BK–2–1957, 1959
Vard Haugesund–2–1962, 1975
Haugar–2–1961, 1979
Sarpsborg 08–2–2015, 2017
Haugesund–2–2007, 2019
Akademisk Kristiania–1–1905
Fram Larvik–1–1912
Drafn–1–1927
Drammens BK–1–1930
Asker–1–1951
Solberg–1–1952
Larvik Turn–1–1956
Sogndal–1–1976
Fyllingen–1–1990
Sandefjord–1–2006
Follo–1–2010
Kongsvinger–1–2016

Records and statistics

Final

Team

Since 1978, an official cup for women's clubs has also been played. The women's cup final is usually played on a Saturday, the day before the men's cup final. The 1978 cup final between BUL and Trondheims-Ørn was the only Norwegian cup final to be decided on penalties.
Before the 2006 final, the Norwegian Football Association decided that the Women's final would be played at Bislett Stadium instead of Ullevaal Stadion, which caused some debate. The Football Association claimed that two matches over one weekend would cause too much wear on the Ullevaal pitch, while representatives for the clubs claimed that the move was discriminating against women's football. When the semi-finals of the 2006 cup were drawn, all 4 clubs boycotted the draw in a protest against the move.