In theory it is possible for even the lowest local amateur club to rise to the top of the system and become Danish football champions one day.
[1][2][3] The league system is held under the jurisdiction of the Danish FA (DBU), Divisionsforeningen (DF) and its six regional associations.
The pyramid for women's football in Denmark runs separately with fewer divisions and levels.
The Danish Workers’ Sport Association (DAI) and Danish Gymnastics and Sports Associations (DGI) organize separate football tournaments at grassroots level or as fitness exercise for adults, with DAI previously having run a separate league system.
[16] A separate league system exist, consisting of amateur clubs, and governed by the Dansk Arbejder Idrætsforbund (DAI).
[4] The highest level of women's league football in Denmark is the Kvindeligaen followed by the second-highest league Kvinde 1. division, collectively known as the Danmarksturneringen i kvindefodbold (Kvinde-DM) and referred to as divisionerne, organised by the Danish FA and Kvindedivisionsforeningen.
[25] The two tiers are then followed by the level three Kvindeserien (Kvinde-DS), the lowest nationwide league, but organised by the regional football associations.
The first domestic club league was founded in 1889 with the establishment of the Fodboldturneringen, comprising seven amateur clubs exclusively based in Copenhagen, deciding the Copenhagen Football Championship and governed by the Danish Football Association (DBU).
Between 1912 and 1927, the Danish football championship was determined via a play-off cup tournament at the end of the season, known as the Landsfodboldturneringen.
Professionalism (then referred to as betalt fodbold) in Danish football was introduced in 1978, but was restricted to the top three levels.
[36] In 1986, Brøndby IF became the first Danish club with a squad of full time professional players contracts and the first to be publicly listed in 1987.