The Norwegian Third Division, also called Norsk Tipping-Ligaen, is the fourth highest division of the men's football league in Norway. Like the rest of the Norwegian football league system, the season runs from spring to autumn, running approximately from April to October. After the 2010 season, the league was reorganised, reducing the number of teams to 164 and halving the number of parallel sections from 24 to 12. After the 2016 season, the league was again reorganised, reducing the number of teams from 164 to 84, and halved the number of groups from twelve to six.

All six group winners are promoted to 2. divisjon, while the bottom four in all groups are relegated to 4. divisjon.

History 1963–2010 The 3. divisjon was known as the 4. divisjon from 1963 until 1990, when the top-tier league changed its name to Tippeligaen, the 2. divisjon became the 1. divisjon and the names of all the lower divisions were adjusted accordingly. Until 2010, there were 24 parallel sections of the 3. divisjon, each consisting of between 10 and 16 teams. The winners paired up and played each other in one home match and one away match in a playoff. Thus, 12 teams were promoted to the 2. divisjon. This system was in place from 2001. The number of teams that were relegated from each section to the 4. divisjon, varied from two to four, depending on the number of teams in each section.

2011–2016 From 2011 to 2016, 3. divisjon consisted of 12 parallel sections of 12 or 14 teams, and the winners of each group was promoted to the 2. divisjon. Ten sections consisted of 14 teams each, from the South of Norway, the last two sections consisted of 12 teams each, from the Northern Norway. In the sections with 14 teams, the bottom three teams were relegated to the 4. divisjon, and in the two sections with 12 teams each, the bottom two teams were relegated.Norwegian Football Association website

2017– After changes in the Norwegian football pyramid, no teams were promoted from the 3. divisjon after the 2016 season. The fourth tier was split into six groups which for the 2017 season consisted of the teams finishing from 7th to 14th in the 2016 2. divisjon groups and the top 4 teams from the 3. divisjon groups along with the 8 best 5th-placed teams in the 3. divisjon. The rest of the teams in the 2016 3. divisjon was relegated. As of the 2018 season, the 3. divisjon consist of 6 groups of 14 teams.

Like in the rest of the Norwegian Football league system, all the teams play each other twice, once at home and once away. Three points are awarded for a win, one for a draw, and if two teams are equal on points, the one with the best goal difference is above the other on the table. The teams are placed in the 6 sections according to geographic considerations. Travel times have also been considered occasionally; Bjørnevatn IL in the outskirts of Kirkenes was placed in a group dedicated to the greater Oslo area in the 2017 and 2018 seasons, as commuting by plane between Kirkenes Airport and Gardermoen Airport was deemed easier than travelling westwards through northern Norway by road.

Current members The following 84 clubs are competing in the 2026 Norwegian Third Division.

Group 1 Asker Bærum Frigg Gamle Oslo Grei Heming KFUM 2 Konnerud Lokomotiv Oslo Nordstrand Ready Ullern Union Carl Berner Vålerenga 2

Group 2 Aalesund 2 Byåsen Herd Kvik Melhus Molde 2 Nardo NTNUI Orkla Ranheim 2 Rosenborg 2 Spjelkavik Strindheim Volda

Group 3 Åsane 2 Askøy Austevoll Brann 2 Djerv 1919 Fana Førde Fyllingsdalen Gneist Os Sogndal 2 Stord Vard Haugesund Varegg

Group 4 Åkra Brodd Fløy Haugesund 2 Hinna Madla Mandalskameratene Odd 2 Staal Jørpeland Stabæk 2 Våg Varhaug Viking 2 Vinbjart

Group 5 Alta Bossekop Fauske/Sprint Finnsnes Fløya Harstad Kongsvinger 2 Lillestrøm 2 Skedsmo Skjervøy Skjetten Strømsgodset 2 Tromsø 2 Ulfstind

Group 6 Bjørkelangen Brumunddal Drøbak-Frogn Elverum Fram Gjøvik-Lyn Lillehammer Lyn 2 Oppsal Ørn Horten Råde Rælingen Sandefjord 2 Sarpsborg 08 2

Reserve teams

Reserve teams of clubs from the two top divisions can participate in the 3. divisjon. Reserve teams of clubs from the 1. divisjon can not play in the 2. divisjon, and can therefore not be promoted from the 3. divisjon.Norwegian Football Association website

Sponsorship From 2017, 3. divisjon has its title sponsorship rights sold to Norsk Tipping.

PeriodSponsorName1963–1990No sponsor 4. divisjon1991–20163. divisjon2017– Norsk Tipping Norsk Tipping-ligaen

Winners 2011–2016 Season Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 Group 7 Group 8 Group 9 Group 10 Group 11 Group 12 2011 Østsiden Gjøvik Grorud Birkebeineren Jerv Start 21 Brann 2 Fana Træff Buvik Mo Finnsnes 2012 Drøbak/Frogn Skedsmo Lyn Eidsvold Turn Arendal Viking 2 Arna-Bjørnar Førde Skarbøvik Strindheim Bodø/Glimt 2 Bossekop 2013 Skeid Stabæk 2 Brumunddal Holmen Ørn-Horten Jerv Stord Florø Herd Tiller Medkila Finnsnes 2014 Sprint-Jeløy Ullern Lillestrøm 2 Drammen Donn Sola Odda Aalesund 2 Strindheim Stjørdals-Blink Mjølner Senja 2015 Oppsal Asker Frigg Tønsberg Pors Stord Lysekloster Brattvåg Tynset Rosenborg 2 Mo Tromsø 2 2016 Kråkerøy Lyn Skedsmo Vestfossen Viking 2 Staal Brann 2 Herd Eidsvold Turn Kolstad Sortland Fløya 1 Start 2 were not eligible for promotion, runners-up Egersund promoted.

2017– Season Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4 Group 5 Group 6 2017 Moss Stabæk 2 Fløy Brattvåg Stjørdals-Blink Mjølner 2018 Oppsal Kvik Halden Sola Sotra Byåsen Senja 2019 Eidsvold Turn Vålerenga 2 Fløy Vard Haugesund Rosenborg 2 Fløya 2021 Gjøvik-Lyn Ørn Horten Staal Jørpeland Frigg Træff Ullern 2022 Lyn Aalesund 2 Brann 2 Fram Larvik Junkeren Strømsgodset 2 2023 Lysekloster Eidsvold Turn Viking 2 Eik Tønsberg Strindheim Follo 2024 Sandviken Pors Asker Rana Træff Hønefoss 2025 Junkeren Trygg/Lade Lørenskog Bjarg Vidar Kvik Halden

References

External links

3.division summary(SOCCERWAY)