Scandinavian Football Shift: Norway Overtakes Denmark

 

Stale Solbakken, Norway's national team coach, says Norway's Eliteserie has surpassed Denmark's league as Scandinavia's top football division, backed by UEFA rankings.

Copenhagen coach and current Norway national team coach, believes Norway's Eliteserie has surpassed Denmark's league as the best in Scandinavia. In a Disney+ interview, Solbakken stated that Denmark is no longer the flagship of Scandinavian football in Europe.

Solbakken's assessment marks a shift in the regional power balance, with Norway now leading the way in Scandinavian football, according to the experienced coach.

“I still believe that the top of the Danish Superliga can easily compete with the Norwegian league. But right now Bodo/Glimt is the best team in Scandinavia. You can't argue against that.”

“The Norwegian league is ranked higher than the Danish league in the UEFA coefficiency- largely because of Bodo/Glimt's results.”

“Right now I actually want to rank Norway slightly ahead of Denmark with Sweden in third place, even though Djurgarden is in a semi-final in Conference League,” says the Norwegian national team coach.

Norway currently ranks 11th in UEFA's coefficient rankings, surpassing Denmark, which sits at 16th. However, Stale Solbakken believes Denmark has the potential to reclaim its top spot.

🚨 Denmark no longer has the best league in Scandinavia as it has been taken over by the Norwegian Eliteserie, says former coach of FC Copenhagen and current coach of the Norwegian national football team, Stale Solbakken, in an interview with Disney+. pic.twitter.com/MZfatIPxMB

— Sports Reels TV (@sportsreelstv) April 30, 2025

“The Danes will have to make a comeback, and they have all the prerequisites to go past Norway again,” Solbakken said. “But right now the top teams in Denmark are not at their best level.”

Stale Solbakken notes that the current Scandinavian football landscape is competitive, with Bodo/Glimt leading the way.

“At the moment all teams beat each other,” Solbakken said. “Right now Bodo/Glimt is in pole position, and that means that Norway might also be ahead right now.” Bodo/Glimt will test their mettle against Tottenham in the Europa League semi-finals.