The year after, the Norwegian Sports Association ruled the club could not be named Tor, and so Tromsø Idrettslag was again chosen, this time permanently.

Tromsø also won its second district championship in 1932, but was eliminated in the semi-finals of the Northern Norwegian Cup.

Tromsø started the post-war years in a good fashion, winning the club's sixth district championship in 1946.

Clubs from Northern Norway were allowed into the Norwegian cup in 1963, and Tromsø participated for the first time in 1964, advancing to the second round after beating FK Mjølner.

With Northern Norwegian clubs accepted in the cup, the only thing left to be included in was the top division.

Two decent seasons in 1983 and 1984 were followed by a second-place finish in 1985, which meant the club would again play qualification matches for the top division.

Then, Tromsø won the decisive match against Moss FK 1–0, after a legendary penalty kick save by goalkeeper Bjarte Flem.

The first season in the top division would be very hard for Tromsø, the club eventually had to play qualification to survive.

The arrival of Per Mathias Høgmo before the 2004 season proved to be a success; Tromsø had another good season and finished fourth in the league, which qualified them for the Royal League and, as a result of third-placed team SK Brann's victory in the cup that year, the UEFA Cup.

After his first successful year, Høgmo opted to forego extending his contract and his former assistant Otto Ulseth was promoted to head coach.

The disappointng 2005 season start had Ulseth sacked after only 15 league matches, all the whiie Tromsø was struggling to avoid relegation.

The head coach for the remainder of the season became Ulseth's former assistant Steinar Nilsen, who managed to turn Tromsø's poor form around.

After a club record five consecutive victories, Tromsø secured its place in the Tippeligaen with a 1–0 home win over Viking FK in the second-last matchday of the season.

After a rather unsatisfactory start to the season, Tromsø began negotiating to terminate the contract with Normark on 26 July 2006.

Since the end of 2007, Tromsø enjoyed domestic success, with the club finishing inside the league's top four on five occasions since the 2008 season.

Tromsø played in Group 3, along with Aarau, Germinal Ekeren, Havnar Bóltfelag and Universitatea Cluj.

In 2005, Tromsø would again play in the UEFA Cup, following their fourth-place finish in the Norwegian top division the year prior.

Stephen Ademolu scored while Lars Hirschfeld saved Esbjerg fB's penalty, and Tromsø advanced.

Tromsø won 1–0 at home after a goal by Tamas Szekeres in the 77th minute, in a match filled with mud, rain and snow.

Tromsø tied Galatasaray 1–1 at the feared Ali Sami Yen Stadium, thanks to many important saves by Lars Hirschfeld and a goal in the first half from a shot by Patrice Bernier via Stephen Ademolu.

This result was seen by many as a huge upset, and some Tromsø fans and players immediately declared it a historic win, likening it to the 1996 Norwegian cup championship and the 1985 promotion.

Two goals in the second half within two minutes, the second by a lightly hurt Sigurd Rushfeldt, they won at home, and after 0–2 away, at a tricky home stadium, two goals by Rushfeldt (in the 14th and 81st minutes) won their way and win into the third and last qualifying round of the European league 2009.

Tromsø's first tie was against Latvian club Daugava, which was won comfortably 7–1 on aggregate after winning 5–0 away and 2–1 at home.

They then advanced past Metalurh Donetsk of Ukraine in the third qualifying round after a 1–1 draw at home and snatching a rare 1–0 away victory.

After beating Celje, Inter Baku and Differdange, Tromsø lost 3–2 on aggregate to Beşiktaş in the play-off round.

After being reinstalled back into the competition the Norwegians were drawn in Group K alongside Tottenham Hotspur, Anzhi Makhachkala and Sheriff Tiraspol.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply.

Their logo is a polar bear with a football and a red and white striped jersey holding a Tromsø IL scarf.

However, before the 2008 season the NFF decided that all clubs should play Tippeligafanfaren (The Tippeliga Fanfare) when the teams entered the pitch.