Provinsmesterskabsturneringen i Fodbold () was a knockout association football competition contested annually between 1913 and 1931, organised by the Danish FA (DBU), which determined the championship of the provinces (regions outside the main capital city, Copenhagen).
No trophy was awarded to the winner of the tournament, who instead received a diploma and could refer themselves as Vinder af Provinsmesterskabet i Fodbold or simply Provinsmester (English: Champions of the Provincial Football Championship). The most successful club in the history of the tournament's 18 editions was B 1901, who participated in all national tournaments by winning the regional Lolland-Falster league championship, winning a total of 7 provincial titles and appearing as a losing finalist on 4 occasions. As a result of the club's success, the Lolland-Falster FA became the most successful regional association, only fielding B 1901 as its representative during the tournament's entire duration.
History Until 1927, the cup tournament was part of the Danish Championship play-off, Landspokalturneringen, and was held prior to the Danish National Championship semifinal (1914 and 1916) or final. Beginning from the 1928-season, the regional championship became a separate tournament held alongside the Danish Championship (part of Danmarksmesterskabsturneringen i Fodbold), but still organised by the Danish FA, now under the official name of Provinsmesterskabsturneringen.
In principle, the final of the tournament was scheduled to be played on a neutral ground, which occurred on 9 occasions, while the rest of the finals ended up being played at the home field of one of the teams in the final. Almost two-thirds of the finals (1916–18, 1920–22, 1924–26 and 1929–31) were played on a football field located in Odense.
Throughout the competition's existence, the five regional football championship clubs from Bornholm FA (BBU), Funen FA (FBU), Jutland FA (JBU), Lolland-Falster FA (LFBU) and Zealand FA (SBU) participated after the end of normal league season, except for the years 1916–1920 (Bornholm FA) and 1931 (Jutland FA). The 1915 edition was not played due to the limitations imposed as a consequence of World War I. The tournament was abolished after the 1931 edition, where the Jutland FA representative, Esbjerg fB, withdrew from the competition due to lack of time in its schedule.
Finals Key Explanation (number of cup wins) A running tally of the total number of titles won by each club is kept in brackets. (a.e.t.) After extra time (two periods of 15 minutes each). (ab.) Match abandoned before full time. Match score and result withstood.
Season Final Date Winner Result Runner-up Venue Attendance Ref 1913 8 June 1913 B 1901 (1) 6–2 (ab.) Frederiksborg IF Hillerød Ridemarken, Næstved 500 1914 31 May 1914 Vejle BK (1) 2–1 Rønne BK Københavns Idrætspark, Copenhagen 1,000 1915 Cancelled 1916 4 June 1916 Odense BK (1) 2–0 B 1901 Munke Mose, Odense 1,000 1917 3 June 1917 B 1901 (2) 3–2 Odense BK Munke Mose, Odense 1,800 1918 2 June 1918 Randers SK Freja (1) 2–0 Frederiksborg IF Hillerød OB's Bane, Odense 1919 25 May 1919 B 1901 (3) 4–1 Odense BK B 1901's Bane, Nykøbing Falster 1920 30 May 1920 B 1901 (4) 2–1 Ringkøbing IF Odense 500 1921 21 May 1921 Aarhus GF (1) 3–1 (a.e.t.) B 1901 Odense 1922 12 June 1922 B 1901 (5) 2–1 Aarhus GF Odense 1923 27 May 1923 Aarhus GF (2) 3–0 (a.e.t.) Frederiksborg IF Hillerød Aarhus Stadium, Aarhus 1924 1 June 1924 B 1913 (1) 3–1 B 1901 Odense 1925 7 June 1925 Aarhus GF (3) 4–1 B 1901 Odense 1926 6 June 1926 B 1901 (6) 7–3 Horsens FS Odense 1927 19 June 1927 Skovshoved IF (1) 3–2 B 1909 Skovshoved Idrætspark, Skovshoved 500 1928 24 June 1928 Aalborg BK (1) 8–2 Skovshoved IF Aalborg Stadium, Aalborg 1,800 1929 16 June 1929 B 1901 (7) 8–6 Aalborg BK B 1909's Bane, Odense 2,000 1930 13 July 1930 B 1913 (2) 3–1 Frederiksborg IF Hillerød B 1913's Bane, Odense 1,400 1931 21 June 1931 B 1909 (1) 3–2 Helsingør IF Odense Idrætspark, Odense 1,000
Performances Results by team Teams shown in italics are no longer in existence. B 1901 won the most championship titles and shares the record of losing the largest number of final matches with Frederiksborg IF Hillerød.
Club Association Wins First final won Last final won Runners-up Last final lost Total final appearances B 1901 Lolland-Falster FA 7 1913 1929 4 1925 11 Aarhus GF Jutland FA 3 1921 1925 1 1922 4 B 1913 Funen FA 2 1924 1930 0 — 2 Odense BK Funen FA 1 1916 1916 2 1919 3 B 1909 Funen FA 1 1931 1931 1 1927 2 Aalborg BK Jutland FA 1 1928 1928 1 1929 2 Skovshoved IF Zealand FA 1 1927 1927 1 1928 2 Vejle BK Jutland FA 1 1914 1914 0 — 1 Randers SK Freja Jutland FA 1 1918 1918 0 — 1 Frederiksborg IF Hillerød Zealand FA 0 — — 4 1930 4 Helsingør IF Zealand FA 0 — — 1 1931 1 Horsens FS Jutland FA 0 — — 1 1926 1 Ringkøbing IF Jutland FA 0 — — 1 1920 1 Rønne BK Bornholm FA 0 — — 1 1914 1
Results by association The single team, B 1901, that represented the Lolland-Falster FA throughout the tournament's entire history, single-handedly ensured that the regional association ended up with the most championship titles combined.
Association Clubs Seasons Wins First final won Last final won Runners-up Last final lost Total final appearances Lolland-Falster FA (LFBU) 1 18 7 1913 1929 4 1925 11 Jutland FA (JBU) 8 17 6 1914 1928 4 1929 10 Funen FA (FBU) 4 18 4 1916 1931 3 1927 7 Zealand FA (SBU) 6 18 1 1927 1927 6 1931 7 Bornholm FA (BBU) 2 13 0 — — 1 1914 1
References The final match in 1913 of the Provins-Turneringen between B 1901 (LFBU) and Frederiksborg IF Hillerød (SBU) was abandoned after 88 minutes, when the score was 2–6 in B 1901's favour. The ball had punctured, and as there was no reserve ball present, and the fact that FIF Hillerød was behind with four goals, a decision was made to end the game at this score with the acceptance of FIF Hillerød.
Skovshoved IF was originally a member of Nordre Birks Boldspil-Union (NBBU), who joined the Zealand Football Association (SBU) as a special department in 1921. The club participated in the regional tournament as a representative for the Zealand FA until the club joined the Copenhagen Football Association (KBU) in 1929.