The Norwegian Premier League (Eliteserien) season is starting this weekend, but Bodø/Glimt's league opener has been postponed due to their participation in the Champions League. Their cup quarterfinal has also been moved to the following weekend because they play the return leg against Portuguese Sporting on March 18. Lillestrøm Sportsklubb is criticizing the Norwegian Football Federation in a press release, stating that both cup and league matches are being moved and changed to an extent that makes planning difficult and undermines the basis for predictable and well-functioning Norwegian football. The club argues that the arguments for reversing the Norwegian Cup format from spring-autumn to autumn-spring have not materialized; rather, the opposite has happened.
Lillestrøm's detailed complaints highlight operational challenges, as the changes have also affected Bodø/Glimt's cup opponent, Lillestrøm, forcing their planned league match against Kristiansund to be moved. The club states that organizing a league match requires hundreds of volunteer hours and planning well in advance, and that late changes force a whole apparatus to restart planning, which is not sustainable. According to NRK Sport, Robert Lauritsen described that they had already started planning and called for volunteers, and such changes create challenges. He also noted that they turned on the heat at Åråsen in February to be able to play in March, but now their first home match is not until April 11, making it difficult for both supporters and those organizing the matches. Lauritsen added that four of their first five league matches are away games, which does not provide equal conditions, and this applies not only to them.
NFF and Norsk Toppfotball, the top clubs' own interest organization, agree on these assessments and stand together behind the decisions. So we must live with and respect that not everyone supports the decisions that have been made.
In response, competition director Nils Fisketjønn says the NFF and Norwegian Top Football, the clubs' interest organization, agree on these assessments and stand together behind the decisions. He states they must live with and respect that not everyone supports the decisions that have been made. Fisketjønn explains it is completely normal for Norway to play right up to the international period in June ahead of championships, which they have done for many years, and they are in a special situation due to geography and winter, where in their spring-autumn season they are dependent on playing as much football as possible in the summer.
Additional scheduling pressure comes from a World Cup deadline, as rounds 10 and 11 of the Eliteserien cannot be played entirely as planned at the end of May due to the deadline for releasing World Cup players for national team duty. The International Football Federation has set a deadline of May 25, with the last relevant club match date the day before, for releasing players selected for the World Cup in North America, creating another puzzle for the NFF to solve ahead of an already packed spring calendar. Bodø/Glimt is among the clubs that have World Cup-eligible players in their squad. In the football federation's main schedule, the spring season in the Eliteserien is set to end on May 29, just days before the Norwegian World Cup squad flies to the USA, and a league round is also scheduled with May 25 as the starting point, with the week before featuring a cup final. Fisketjønn says there is no dialogue with FIFA about this, as it is common practice for them, and FIFA informs that the May 25 deadline is set so that clubs do not try to squeeze in matches—and thus cause wear and tear on players—close to the World Cup.
We had already started planning and called for volunteers. There are many people involved in a match arrangement, and then such changes create challenges.
Specific match postponements affecting Bodø/Glimt and Sarpsborg include the original match, scheduled for Sunday, March 15, being moved forward one day to Saturday, but now it is clear that the match will be moved to a later point in the season as a result of Glimt's round of 16 match against Sporting in the Champions League. Therefore, Sarpsborg 08 - Bodø/Glimt will be postponed further, though a new date has not been decided. Earlier in the week, it became clear that Glimt's cup match against Molde was moved from March 6 to March 5, and at the same time, the match against Sarpsborg was moved forward one day, with now changes being made to the latter match to accommodate Glimt in the Champions League chase. The matches against Sporting are played on Wednesday, March 11 and Tuesday, March 17, with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
In other football news, Kristian Thorstvedt scored his third Serie A goal this season beautifully in Sassuolo's 2-1 win over Atalanta. Thorstvedt has three goals in Serie A this season, and Sassuolo was promoted to the top level again last year and currently holds eighth place after 27 matches. The 26-year-old hopes to be part of the Norwegian squad that will face the Netherlands and Switzerland at the end of the month, which is the start of the buildup to the summer championship in North America.
We turned on the heat at Åråsen in February to be able to play in March, but now the first home match is not until April 11.
Context for the scheduling issues includes the cup quarterfinals originally scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday next week, and the Eliteserien scheduled to resume the weekend of July 4-5 after the World Cup break. The Norwegian Football Federation announced these changes on Sunday, amid ongoing criticism from clubs like Lillestrøm about the format reversal and its implications.
It makes it difficult both for supporters and for us who organize the matches.
Four of our first five league matches are away games. That does not provide quite equal conditions, and it applies not only to us.
It is completely normal for us in Norway to play right up to the international period in June ahead of championships. We have done this for many years. We are in a special situation due to geography and winter. In our spring-autumn season, we are dependent on playing as much football as possible in the summer.
No dialogue with FIFA about this. As mentioned, it is common practice for us.