Besta deild karla
Iceland · Since 1912 · 12 clubs
The Besta deild karla is the top-tier professional football league in Iceland and represents the highest level of the country’s football system. Founded in 1912 as the Icelandic Championship, it is organized by the Football Association of Iceland and currently features 12 teams. Due to Iceland’s climate, the season is played during the warmer months, typically from spring to early autumn.
The league operates on a double round-robin format, where each team plays every other team both home and away. At the end of the season, the two lowest-placed teams are relegated to the second division, while the top teams qualify for European competitions. The champion enters the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, and other high-ranking clubs can qualify for additional European tournaments.
Historically, the league has undergone several name changes and was rebranded as Besta deild karla in 2022. It has a long tradition in Icelandic football, with clubs like KR Reykjavík being the most successful. Despite the country’s small size, the league plays an important role in developing players and maintaining a competitive domestic football environment.
| Season | Champion | Runner-up | 3rd place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
Stjarnan
|
| 2024 |
Breiðablik
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 2023 |
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
Stjarnan
|
| 2022 |
Breiðablik
|
KA Akureyri
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
| 2021 |
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
Breiðablik
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 2020 |
Valur
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
Stjarnan
|
| 2019 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Breiðablik
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
| 2018 |
Valur
|
Breiðablik
|
Stjarnan
|
| 2017 |
Valur
|
Stjarnan
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
| 2016 |
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
Stjarnan
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 2015 |
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
Breiðablik
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 2014 |
Stjarnan
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 2013 |
KR Reykjavík
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
Stjarnan
|
| 2012 |
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
Breiðablik
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
| 2011 |
KR Reykjavík
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
| 2010 |
Breiðablik
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
| 2009 |
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Fylkir
|
| 2008 |
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
Keflavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 2007 |
Valur
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 2006 |
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 2005 |
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
Valur
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 2004 |
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 2003 |
KR Reykjavík
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 2002 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Fylkir
|
Grindavík
|
| 2001 |
ÍA Akranes
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
| 2000 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Fylkir
|
Grindavík
|
| 1999 |
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
Leiftur
|
| 1998 |
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 1997 |
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
ÍA Akranes
|
Leiftur
|
| 1996 |
ÍA Akranes
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Leiftur
|
| 1995 |
ÍA Akranes
|
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
| 1994 |
ÍA Akranes
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
Keflavík
|
| 1993 |
ÍA Akranes
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
Keflavík
|
| 1992 |
ÍA Akranes
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Þór Akureyri
|
| 1991 |
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1990 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
| 1989 |
KA Akureyri
|
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1988 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 1987 |
Valur
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 1986 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 1985 |
Valur
|
ÍA Akranes
|
Þór Akureyri
|
| 1984 |
ÍA Akranes
|
Valur
|
Keflavík
|
| 1983 |
ÍA Akranes
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Breiðablik
|
| 1982 |
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1981 |
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 1980 |
Valur
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 1979 |
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
ÍA Akranes
|
Valur
|
| 1978 |
Valur
|
ÍA Akranes
|
Keflavík
|
| 1977 |
ÍA Akranes
|
Valur
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
| 1976 |
Valur
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 1975 |
ÍA Akranes
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 1974 |
ÍA Akranes
|
Keflavík
|
Valur
|
| 1973 |
Keflavík
|
Valur
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
| 1972 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
Keflavík
|
| 1971 |
Keflavík
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1970 |
ÍA Akranes
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
Keflavík
|
| 1969 |
Keflavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1968 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
ÍBA Akureyri
|
| 1967 |
Valur
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
ÍBA Akureyri
|
| 1966 |
Valur
|
Keflavík
|
ÍBA Akureyri
|
| 1965 |
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
Keflavík
|
| 1964 |
Keflavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1963 |
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
Valur
|
| 1962 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 1961 |
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
Valur
|
| 1960 |
ÍA Akranes
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1959 |
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
Valur
|
| 1958 |
ÍA Akranes
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 1957 |
ÍA Akranes
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 1956 |
Valur
|
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 1955 |
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
Valur
|
| 1954 |
ÍA Akranes
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1953 |
ÍA Akranes
|
Valur
|
—
|
| 1952 |
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1951 |
ÍA Akranes
|
Valur
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1950 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
ÍA Akranes
|
| 1949 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 1948 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 1947 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1946 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 1945 |
Valur
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1944 |
Valur
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
| 1943 |
Valur
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1942 |
Valur
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1941 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
| 1940 |
Valur
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1939 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
| 1938 |
Valur
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1937 |
Valur
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1936 |
Valur
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1935 |
Valur
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1934 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1933 |
Valur
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1932 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
KA Akureyri
|
| 1931 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
| 1930 |
Valur
|
KR Reykjavík
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
| 1929 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
—
|
| 1928 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
| 1927 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
| 1926 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
| 1925 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1924 |
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1923 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 1922 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1921 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
| 1920 |
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
| 1919 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
| 1918 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 1917 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 1916 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 1915 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
KR Reykjavík
|
Valur
|
| 1914 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
—
|
—
|
| 1913 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
—
|
—
|
| 1912 |
KR Reykjavík
|
Fram Reykjavík
|
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
| # | Club | Count | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
KR Reykjavík
|
27 | 1912, 1919, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1941, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1952, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1965, 1968, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2011, 2013, 2019 |
| 27 | 1915, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1930, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1939, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1983, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2006, 2009 | ||
| 16 | 1921, 1922, 1924, 1925, 1940, 1942, 1947, 1951, 1964, 1969, 1982, 1991, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2021 | ||
| 2 |
Valur
|
23 | 1930, 1933, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1940, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1945, 1956, 1966, 1967, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1985, 1987, 2007, 2017, 2018, 2020 |
| 19 | 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1941, 1947, 1951, 1953, 1962, 1973, 1977, 1984, 1986, 1988, 2005, 2023, 2025 | ||
| 19 | 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1923, 1946, 1948, 1949, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1974, 1975, 1979, 2006, 2024 | ||
| 3 |
Fram Reykjavík
|
18 | 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1939, 1946, 1947, 1962, 1972, 1986, 1988, 1990 |
| 17 | 1912, 1919, 1924, 1926, 1942, 1949, 1950, 1957, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1975, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1987, 1991 | ||
| 15 | 1920, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1943, 1945, 1952, 1954, 1960, 1971, 1989, 2008 | ||
| 4 |
ÍA Akranes
|
18 | 1951, 1953, 1954, 1957, 1958, 1960, 1970, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1983, 1984, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2001 |
| 12 | 1952, 1955, 1959, 1961, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1997 | ||
| 14 | 1950, 1956, 1962, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007 | ||
| 5 |
FH Hafnarfjarðar
|
8 | 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2016 |
| 10 | 1989, 1993, 1994, 2003, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2020 | ||
| 3 | 2001, 2017, 2019 | ||
| 6 |
Víkingur Reykjavík
|
8 | 1920, 1924, 1981, 1982, 1991, 2021, 2023, 2025 |
| 8 | 1918, 1921, 1922, 1925, 1938, 1940, 1948, 2024 | ||
| 9 | 1919, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1931, 1939, 1941, 1944, 2022 | ||
| 7 |
Keflavík
|
4 | 1964, 1969, 1971, 1973 |
| 3 | 1966, 1974, 2008 | ||
| 7 | 1965, 1970, 1972, 1978, 1984, 1993, 1994 | ||
| 8 |
ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar
|
3 | 1979, 1997, 1998 |
| 6 | 1971, 1972, 1982, 1999, 2001, 2004 | ||
| 9 | 1912, 1930, 1973, 1977, 1990, 1995, 2010, 2011, 2012 | ||
| 9 |
Breiðablik
|
3 | 2010, 2022, 2024 |
| 5 | 2012, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021 | ||
| 1 | 1983 | ||
| 10 |
Stjarnan
|
1 | 2014 |
| 2 | 2016, 2017 | ||
| 5 | 2013, 2018, 2020, 2023, 2025 | ||
| 11 |
KA Akureyri
|
1 | 1989 |
| 1 | 2022 | ||
| 1 | 1932 | ||
| 12 |
Fylkir
|
0 | — |
| 2 | 2000, 2002 | ||
| 1 | 2009 | ||
| 13 |
ÍBA Akureyri
|
0 | — |
| 0 | — | ||
| 3 | 1966, 1967, 1968 | ||
| 14 |
Leiftur
|
0 | — |
| 0 | — | ||
| 3 | 1996, 1997, 1999 | ||
| 15 |
Þór Akureyri
|
0 | — |
| 0 | — | ||
| 2 | 1985, 1992 | ||
| 16 |
Grindavík
|
0 | — |
| 0 | — | ||
| 2 | 2000, 2002 |