Allsvenskan
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Allsvenskan (literally, "the all Swedish") is the highest league in the
league system of
Swedish football and comprises the top 14
Swedish football teams. It was created in
1924. Before that, the top league in Sweden had been
Svenska Serien.
The winners of Allsvenskan are considered
Swedish Champions since
1931. The winners of Allsvenskan before that, between
1924 and
1930, are only considered league winners. The same is true for the years
1982 through
1990 when the champions were decided through play-offs and
1991–
1992 when the champions were decided through a continuation league called
Mästerskapsserien.
There are 14 clubs in Allsvenskan. During the course of a season (starting in April and ending in October) each club plays the others twice, once at their home stadium and once at that of their opponents, for a total of 26 games. At the end of each season the two lowest placed teams are relegated to
Superettan and the top two teams from Superettan are promoted in their place. The third lowest team in Allsvenskan plays a relegation/promotion play-off against the third placed team in Superettan.
The winners of Allsvenskan qualify for the
UEFA Champions League, and enters the competition at the second qualifying round. The runner-up team qualify for the
UEFA Cup, and enters the competition at the first qualifying round. The third placed team enters the
UEFA Intertoto Cup. This also depends on which team wins
Svenska Cupen, as that team is assured a place in the UEFA Cup. Since the start of
Royal League in the
2004, the four top placed teams enter that tournament together with four teams from Norway and four from Denmark.
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* Participated in the first Allsvenskan.
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Lennart Johansson's Trophy, which has been awarded to the winners of Allsvenskan since 2001. |
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Sports attendances*
Swedish Football Association - Allsvenskan
