Besta deild karla

Founded	1912; 112 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 Conference League
Current champions	Víkingur Reykjavík (7th title) (2023)
Most championships	KR (27)
Top goalscorer	Tryggvi Guðmundsson (131 goals)
TV partners	Domestic: Stöð 2 Sport[1] International: Eleven Sports OneFootball
Website	ksi.is
Current: 2023 Besta deild karla

The Besta deild karla (lit. 'Men's Best Division') is the top level men's football league in Iceland.^[2] The competition was founded in 1912 as the Icelandic Championship.^[3] Because of the harsh winters in Iceland, it is generally played in the spring and summer (April to September). It is governed by the Football Association of Iceland (KSI) and has 12 teams. By end of season 2022–23, UEFA ranked the league No. 48 in Europe.^[4]

From 27 April 2009 to 2022, the league had an active agreement on the league's name rights with Ölgerðin, the Icelandic franchisee for Pepsi. From the 2019 season to the end of the 2021 season, the league was popularly referred to as Pepsi Max deildin (The Pepsi Max League).^[5][6] On 24 February 2022, the league was rebranded as Besta deild karla.^[7]

The clubs play each other home and away. At the end of each season, the two teams with the fewest points are relegated to 1. deild karla (First Division), from which two top point teams promote to the higher tier. The winner of the Úrvalsdeild enters the European national competition UEFA Champions League in the second qualifying round. The second, third and fourth placed teams qualify for the UEFA Europa League in the first qualifying round.^[8]

An effort by KSI to strengthen Icelandic football had only one team relegated in the 2007 season to the First Division and three clubs promoted to premier division, bringing the top flight to the number of clubs it contains currently.

Championship title counts are: KR with 27, Valur with 23, and ÍA and Fram Reykjavík each with 18. FH has 8 and Víkingur has 7. The 2023 title holder is Víkingur.^[9][10]

Current clubs (2024)

Source: ^[11]

History

Championship history

The Icelandic league title has been won in its over 100 years existence by 11 teams. KR has the most titles, with 27. Stjarnan are the latest team to join the list, winning their first title in 2014.^{[citation needed]}

The league has been dominated by teams from the Capital Region which contains nearly two thirds of Iceland's population. Only four teams from outside the GRA have ever won the league: (Keflavík, ÍA, ÍBV, and KA). ÍBV and KA have won four titles amongst themselves, are located more than an hour's drive from Reykjavík, and the teams of the longest distance from the capital to title.^{[citation needed]}

_{*There was no competition in 1913 and 1914, and Fram was awarded the title. **In 2020 the competition got 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

Season by season records

All-time top scorers

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

Top scorers

SEASON	TOP SCORER'S NAME	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

Player of the Year

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.

Young Player of the Year

Caps correct as of 8 October 2023

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	88	8
2009	Alfreð Finnbogason	Breiðablik	69	17
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	49	5
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	4	0
2019	Finnur Tómas Pálmason	KR	1	0
2020	Valgeir Lunddal Friðriksson	Valur	8	0
2021	Kristall Máni Ingason	Víkingur R.	4	0
2022	Ísak Andri Sigurgeirsson	Stjarnan	0	0
2023	Eggert Aron Guðmundsson	Stjarnan	0	0

Total seasons in Besta deild by club

A total of 31 teams have played at least one season in the top division. Teams in bold play in 2024 season.

Seasons counted up to and including the 2024 season

¹ ÍBA stood for "Sports Association of Akureyri", composed of KA and Þór. Disbanded after the 1974 season with KA and Þór fielding their own teams starting from the 1975 season.
² ÍBH stood for "Sports Association of Hafnarfjörður", composed of FH and Haukar. Disbanded after the 1963 season with FH and Haukar fielding their own teams starting from the 1964 season.
³ ÍBÍ ran into financial trouble and folded after the 1987 season. Most of the players transferred to BÍ which took over as the main football club in Ísafjörður. BÍ is now known as Vestri.
⁴ Leiftur ran into financial trouble and eventually merged with KS from Siglufjörður before the 2006 season. The teams were disbanded before the 2010 season in favour of forming a new football club for both towns, the new club being called KF.