# 1961 in Norwegian football

The 1961 season was the 56th season of competitive football in Norway.

## Hovedserien
### Group A

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Fredrikstad (C) | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 43 | 21 | +22 | 22 | Qualification for the championship final |
| 2 | Vålerengen | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 17 | +7 | 14 | |
| 3 | Viking | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 24 | 24 | 0 | 14 | |
| 4 | Larvik Turn | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 24 | 30 | −6 | 14 | |
| 5 | Odd | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 26 | 29 | −3 | 13 | |
| 6 | Lisleby | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 26 | −6 | 13 | |
| 7 | Strømmen (R) | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 22 | −6 | 11 | Relegation to Landsdelsserien |
| 8 | Stavanger (R) | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 23 | −8 | 11 | Relegation to Landsdelsserien |

### Group B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Eik | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 35 | 21 | +14 | 18 | Qualification for the championship final |
| 2 | Lyn | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 41 | 27 | +14 | 17 | |
| 3 | Rosenborg | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 28 | 28 | 0 | 16 | |
| 4 | Greåker | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 22 | 26 | −4 | 16 | |
| 5 | Sandefjord | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 34 | 32 | +2 | 14 | |
| 6 | Skeid | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 20 | +1 | 12 | |
| 7 | Lillestrøm (R) | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 29 | 33 | −4 | 11 | Relegation to Landsdelsserien |
| 8 | Rapid (R) | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 19 | 42 | −23 | 8 | Relegation to Landsdelsserien |

### Championship final

June 16: Fredrikstad - Eik 2 - 0

### Bronze final

June 14: Vålerengen - Lyn 6 - 4

## Landsdelsserien
### Group Østland/Søndre

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Ørn (P) | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 45 | 23 | +22 | 19 | Promotion to Hovedserien |
| 2 | Sarpsborg | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 13 | +13 | 19 | |
| 3 | Moss | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 19 | +8 | 18 | |
| 4 | Fram | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 21 | +3 | 16 | |
| 5 | Pors | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 19 | 30 | −11 | 16 | |
| 6 | Sparta | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 18 | 25 | −7 | 11 | |
| 7 | Selbak (R) | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 23 | 31 | −8 | 8 | Relegation to 3. divisjon |
| 8 | Askim (R) | 14 | 2 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 31 | −20 | 5 | Relegation to 3. divisjon |

### Group Østland/Nordre

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
| 1 | Frigg (P) | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 38 | 14 | +24 | 21 | Promotion to Hovedserien |
| 2 | Mjøndalen | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 28 | +7 | 17 | |
| 3 | Asker | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 17 | +9 | 16 | |
| 4 | Gjøvik-Lyn | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 30 | 30 | 0 | 16 | |
| 5 | Raufoss | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 28 | 19 | +9 | 15 | |
| 6 | Fremad (R) | 14 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 25 | 38 | −13 | 10 | |
| 7 | Sandaker (R) | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 31 | −13 | 9 | Relegation to 3. divisjon |
| 8 | Geithus (R) | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 20 | 43 | −23 | 8 | Relegation to 3. divisjon |

### Group Sørland/Vestland, A

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Start | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 9 | +31 | 23 | Qualification for the promotion play-offs |
| 2 | Sørfjell | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 34 | 22 | +12 | 18 | |
| 3 | Jerv | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 26 | 35 | −9 | 13 | |
| 4 | Vindbjart | 12 | 5 | 0 | 7 | 28 | 23 | +5 | 10 | |
| 5 | Flekkefjord | 12 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 19 | 29 | −10 | 8 | |
| 6 | Nedenes | 12 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 25 | 31 | −6 | 7 | |
| 7 | Våg (R) | 12 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 36 | −23 | 5 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs |

### Group Sørland/Vestland, B

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Ulf | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 26 | 10 | +16 | 19 | Qualification for the promotion play-offs |
| 2 | Vard | 14 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 22 | 9 | +13 | 19 | |
| 3 | Bryne | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 28 | 14 | +14 | 18 | |
| 4 | Haugar | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 32 | 19 | +13 | 18 | |
| 5 | Jarl | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 26 | 33 | −7 | 13 | |
| 6 | Vidar (R) | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 19 | −5 | 12 | Relegation to 3. divisjon |
| 7 | Djerv 1919 (R) | 14 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 28 | −18 | 8 | Relegation to 3. divisjon |
| 8 | Egersund (R) | 14 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 33 | −26 | 5 | Relegation to 3. divisjon |

### Group Sørland/Vestland, C

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Brann (O, P) | 12 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 45 | 9 | +36 | 21 | Qualification for the promotion play-offs |
| 2 | Os | 12 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 30 | 20 | +10 | 16 | |
| 3 | Varegg | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 24 | 17 | +7 | 15 | |
| 4 | Årstad | 12 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 13 | −4 | 11 | |
| 5 | Fana | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 20 | 24 | −4 | 9 | |
| 6 | Trane | 12 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 25 | −19 | 7 | |
| 7 | Nordnes | 12 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 6 | 32 | −26 | 5 | |

### Group Møre

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Langevåg | 14 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 63 | 15 | +48 | 24 | Qualification for the promotion play-offs |
| 2 | Hødd | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 53 | 20 | +33 | 22 | |
| 3 | Aalesund | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 32 | 23 | +9 | 19 | |
| 4 | Braatt | 14 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 25 | 33 | −8 | 14 | |
| 5 | Molde | 14 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 26 | 29 | −3 | 13 | |
| 6 | Kristiansund | 14 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 25 | 31 | −6 | 11 | |
| 7 | Herd (R) | 14 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 18 | 32 | −14 | 9 | Relegation to 3. divisjon |
| 8 | Framtid (R) | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 9 | 68 | −59 | 0 | Relegation to 3. divisjon |

### Group Trøndelag

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Steinkjer (O, P) | 14 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 63 | 18 | +45 | 26 | Qualification for the promotion play-offs |
| 2 | Kvik | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 32 | 11 | +21 | 21 | |
| 3 | Brage | 14 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 21 | 19 | +2 | 16 | |
| 4 | Freidig | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 27 | 22 | +5 | 15 | |
| 5 | Nessegutten | 14 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 32 | −10 | 13 | |
| 6 | Falken | 14 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 14 | 26 | −12 | 8 | |
| 7 | Sverre | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 16 | 43 | −27 | 7 | |
| 8 | Fram (R) | 14 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 28 | 52 | −24 | 6 | Relegation to 3. divisjon |

### Play-off Sørland/Vestland

* Brann - Ulf 1-1
* Ulf - Start 2-2
* Start - Brann 1-3
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Brann (O, P) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 | Promotion to Hovedserien |
| 2 | Ulf | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 2 | Remained in Landsdelsserien |
| 3 | Start | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 1 | Remained in Landsdelsserien |

### Play-off Møre/Trøndelag

* Langevåg - Steinkjer 3-3
* Steinkjer - Langevåg 3-2 (agg. 6-5)
Steinkjer promoted

### Relegation play-off

Våg- Vigør 0 - 5 (in Vennesla)
Våg relegated

## Third division
### District III, group B3 (Nord-Gudbrandsdal)

Table unknown.

### Play-off District II

* Aurskog - Vestfossen 1-2
* Vestfossen - Aurskog 1-3 (agg. 3-4)
Aurskog promoted.

### Play-off District III

* Ytre Rendal - Hamarkameratene 0-1
* Hamarkameratene - Ytre Rendal 4-1 (agg. 5-1)
Hamarkameratene promoted

### Play-off District IV

* Runar - Skiens-Grane 5-3
* Heddal - Runar 1-1
* Skiens-Grane - Heddal 0-3
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Heddal | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 3 | Promoted |
| 2 | Runar | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 3 | |
| 3 | Skiens-Grane | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 8 | −5 | 0 | |

### Play-off District V

* Vigør - Grane 3 - 1
* Grane - Vigør 4 - 2 (agg. 5 - 5)
* Grane - Vigør 3 - 1 (in Grimstad)
Grane (Arendal) promoted
* Våg - Vigør 0 - 5 (in Vennesla)
Vigør promoted
* Buøy - Randaberg 0 - 0
* Randaberg - Buøy 4 - 0 (agg. 4 - 0)
Randaberg promoted
Buøy - Stord 5 - 0 (in Haugesund)
Buøy promoted

### Championship District V

* Grane - Randaberg (not played)

### Play-off District VI

* Arne - Djerv 1 - 1
* Djerv - Arna 12 - 0 (agg. 13 - 1)
Djerv promoted

### Play-off District VII

* Træff - Clausenengen 0 - 9
* Skarbøvik - Træff 3 - 0
* Clausenengen - Skarbøvik 3 - 2
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Clausenengen | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 2 | +10 | 4 | Promoted |
| 2 | Skarbøvik | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 2 | Promoted |
| 3 | Træff | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | −12 | 0 | |

### Play-off District VIII

* Brekstad - Verdal 0-3
* Ranheim - Troll 4-0
* Troll - Brekstad 2-3
* Verdal - Ranheim 2-1
* Ranheim - Brekstad 5-1
* Troll - Verdal 1-6
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Verdal | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 2 | +9 | 6 | Promoted |
| 2 | Ranheim | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 4 | Promoted |
| 3 | Brekstad | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 10 | −6 | 2 | |
| 4 | Troll | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 13 | −10 | 0 | |

## European cups
### Norwegian representatives

* Fredrikstad (Champions Cup)

### Preliminary rounds

September 6: Standard Liege (Belgium) - Fredrikstad 2 - 1
September 20: Fredrikstad - Standard Liege 0 - 2 (agg. 4 - 1)

## National team

| Date | Venue | Opponent | Res.* | Competition | Norwegian goalscorers |
| May 16 | Bergen | Mexico | 1–1 | Friendly | Rolf Bjørn Backe |
| June 1 | Oslo | Turkey | 0–1 | WCQ | |
| June 27 | Helsinki | Finland | 1–4 | NC series | Rolf Birger Pedersen |
| July 1 | Moscow | Soviet Union | 2–5 | WCQ | Bjørn Borgen, Eldar Hansen |
| August 23 | Oslo | Soviet Union | 0–3 | WCQ | |
| September 17 | Oslo | Denmark | 0–4 | NC series | |
| October 22 | Gothenburg | Sweden | 0–2 | NC series | |
| October 29 | Istanbul | Turkey | 1–2 | WCQ | Roald Jensen |
| November 5 | Gzira | Malta | 1–1 | Friendly | Arne Kotte |
Note: Norway's goals first
Explanation:
* WCQ = 1962 World Cup Qualifier