The pre-season tournament involves the top 22 clubs in Iceland from the previous season and the two clubs promoted from 2. deild, for a total of the 24 teams that will comprise the top two divisions in Iceland the following season.

The final positions of the group are determined after these 5 games are played.

The top two of each group automatically gain entry to the next stage in the competition.

From the quarter final round it is a purely knockout competition where ties take place over 1-leg only.

Since 2001, two other pre-season tournaments have been arranged in the same format for teams lower down in the Icelandic football league ladder.