The Norwegian Second Division, also called 2. divisjon, is the third-highest level of the Norwegian football league system.
There are 28 teams divided into two groups, and at the end of the season the winner of each group earns promotion to the second-highest division, 1. divisjon. The teams finishing in second place in their respective group will qualify for the promotion play-offs, where they will face each other. The winner will play against the 14th placed team in 1. divisjon for promotion. The bottom three teams in each group are relegated to 3. divisjon.
2. divisjon is the highest league a reserve team can participate in, and only reserve teams from the Eliteserien clubs (first tier) are allowed to enter. The participation of reserve teams stirs debate from time to time.
History Between 1963 and 1990, 2. divisjon was the second highest level of the Norwegian football league system, therefore the name of the third highest level was 3. divisjon. When the highest level was rebranded in 1991, this level changed its name to 2. divisjon. From 2009 to 2011, the official name of the league was Fair Play ligaen, and from 2012 to 2015 the name was Oddsen-ligaen (after the main sponsor Norsk Tipping's betting-game called Oddsen). The league was from 2016 until 2025 branded as PostNord-ligaen, sponsored by PostNord.
Current members The following 28 clubs are competing in the 2025 Norwegian Second Division.
Group 1 Arendal Brann 2 Brattvåg Eik Tønsberg Fløy Jerv Lysekloster Notodden Pors Sandnes Ulf Sandviken Sotra Træff Vard Haugesund
Group 2 Alta Asker Eidsvold Turn Follo Grorud Hønefoss Kjelsås Levanger Rana Stjørdals-Blink Strindheim Strømmen Tromsdalen Ull/Kisa
Winners 1991–1995 All group winners, excluding second teams of top division teams, were promoted to 1. divisjon. Season Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 1991 Odd Bærum Vard Haugesund Brann 2Os were promoted Rosenborg 2Stjørdals/Blink were promoted Bodø/Glimt 1992 Lillestrøm 2Ski were promoted Skeid Åssiden Åsane Nardo Mjølner 1993 Jevnaker Åndalsnes Stabæk Vidar Stjørdals-Blink Alta 1994 Sarpsborg FK Odd Grenland Sandefjord BK Haugesund Aalesund Stålkameratene 1995 Elverum Ullern Mjøndalen Vidar Byåsen Harstad
1996–2000 Each group winner played qualification play-offs to decide which teams promote to 1. divisjon. Teams in bold promoted to 1. divisjon through qualification play-offs.
Season Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Group 7 Group 8 1996Byåsen and Harstad from 1. divisjon played qualification games against group winners from 2. divisjon Sarpsborg FK Skjetten Runar Vigør Rosenborg 2Verdal finished second in Group 5 and qualified for promotion play-offs, but was not promoted. Finnsnes 1997 Kjelsås Raufoss Ullern Vidar Fana Kolstad Strindheim Lofoten 1998 Liv/Fossekallen Skjetten Ørn-Horten Vidar Fyllingen Clausenengen Rosenborg 2Mo finished second in Group 7 and qualified for promotion play-offs, but was not promoted. Lofoten 1999 HamKam Asker Sandefjord Vidar Fyllingen Aalesund Strindheim Tromsdalen 2000 Skjetten FF Lillehammer Ørn-Horten Mandalskameratene Hødd Aalesund Stålkameratene Lofoten
2001–2016 All group winners, excluding second teams of top division teams, were promoted to 1. divisjon. Season Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 2001 Skeid Åsane Oslo Øst Lørenskog 2002 Fredrikstad Bærum Mandalskameratene Alta 2003 Pors Grenland Kongsvinger Vard Haugesund Tromsdalen 2004 FK Tønsberg Follo Løv-Ham Alta 2005 Sparta Sarpsborg Oslo Øst Viking 2Haugesund finished second in Group 3 and was promoted Tromsdalen 2006 Notodden Skeid Mandalskameratene Raufoss 2007 Nybergsund Hødd Sandnes Ulf Alta 2008 Mjøndalen Skeid Stavanger Tromsdalen 2009 Strømmen Follo Sandnes Ulf Ranheim 2010 Asker Hødd Randaberg HamKam 2011 Ullensaker/Kisa Bærum Notodden Tromsdalen 2012 Elverum Kristiansund Vard Haugesund Follo 2013 Bærum Alta Nest-Sotra Tromsdalen 2014 Jerv Levanger Åsane Follo 2015 KFUM Raufoss Ullensaker/Kisa Kongsvinger 2016 Tromsdalen Elverum Florø Arendal
2017– Teams in bold were promoted to 1. divisjon. Teams in italics were relegated to 2. divisjon. Season Group 1 Group 2 Play-off teams 2017 Ham-Kam Nest-Sotra Fredrikstad (1. div), Raufoss (2. div, gr. 1), Notodden (2. div, gr. 2) 2018 Raufoss Skeid Åsane (1. div), Fredrikstad (2. div, gr. 1), KFUM Oslo (2. div, gr. 2) 2019 Stjørdals-Blink Grorud Notodden (1. div), Kvik Halden (2. div, gr. 1), Åsane (2. div, gr. 2) 2020 Fredrikstad Bryne Stjørdals-Blink (1. div), Skeid (2. div, gr. 1), Asker (2. div, gr. 2) 2021 Kongsvinger Skeid Stjørdals-Blink (1. div), Hødd (2. div, gr. 1), Arendal (2. div, gr. 2) 2022 Moss Hødd Skeid (1. div), Arendal (2. div, gr. 1), Ull/Kisa (2. div, gr. 2) 2023 Egersund Levanger Hødd (1. div), Lyn (2. div, gr. 1), Tromsdalen (2. div, gr. 2) 2024 Hødd Skeid Mjøndalen (1. div), Jerv (2. div, gr. 1), Tromsdalen (2. div, gr. 2) 2025 Sandnes Ulf Strømmen Moss (1. div), Brattvåg (2. div, gr. 1), Grorud (2. div, gr. 2)
Reserve teams
Reserve teams of clubs from the two top divisions can participate in the 2. divisjon. Reserve teams of clubs from the 1. divisjon can not play in the 2. divisjon, so if a team is relegated from the 1. divisjon, the club's reserve team will be relegated to the 3. divisjon regardless of their final position in the league.Norwegian Football Association website
Sponsorship From 2016 until 2025 the 2. divisjon had its title sponsorship rights sold to PostNord.
PeriodSponsorName1963–1990No sponsor 3. divisjon1991–20082. divisjon2009–2011Fair Play ligaen2012–2015 Norsk Tipping Oddsen-ligaen2016–2025 PostNord PostNord-ligaen2026– No sponsor 2. divisjon
Records and statistics Team records 2001–2016 + 4 groups Record Team Season Most points 70 (Kongsvinger) 2003 Fewest points 3 (Stord and Skjervøy) 2001 and 2003 Most goals in one season 105 (Tromsdalen) 2011 Fewest goals in one season 18 (Langevåg) 2003 Most goals conceded in one season 130 (Skjervøy) 2003 Fewest goals conceded in one season 13 (Elverum) 2016 Most goals in one game 15–0 (Strindheim – Salangen)15–0 (Sparta Sarpsborg – Fram Larvik) 20042005 Biggest win 15–0 (Strindheim – Salangen)15–0 (Sparta Sarpsborg – Fram Larvik) 200420052017–
+ 2 groups Record Team Season Most points 65 (HamKam) 2017 Fewest points 13 (Byåsen) 2017 Most goals in one season 66 (Åsane) 2019 Fewest goals in one season 21 (Brumunddal) 2017 Most goals conceded in one season 69 (Odd 2 and Stabæk 2) 2017 and 2018 Fewest goals conceded in one season 18 (HamKam) 2017 Most goals in one game 5–5 (Bærum – Oppsal) 2019 Biggest win 8–0 (Raufoss – Follo) 2017
Average attendances Season Average 2014 258 2015 285 2016 262 2017 350 2018 493 2019 474
Top ten most attended games No. Season Game Attendance12018Fredrikstad–Moss 10 41322019Fredrikstad–Byåsen 7 91232002Fredrikstad–Kvik Halden 7 01342018Fredrikstad–Asker 5 69152002Fredrikstad–Eidsvold Turn 5 37062003Kongsvinger–Ullensaker/Kisa 5 02472010Hamarkameratene–Brumunddal 4 56582019Fredrikstad–Kvik Halden 4 46292018Fredrikstad–Raufoss 4 291102019Fredrikstad–Stjørdals-Blink 4 245
References
External links Current 2. divisjon table, results and fixtures at Soccerway 2. divisjon stats at Fotballen.eu DF-02 (divisjonsforeningen av 2002) an interest group for the 2. divisjon