The 2020 Eliteserien was the 76th season of top-tier football in Norway. This was fourth season of Eliteserien as rebranding from Tippeligaen.
The season was scheduled to begin on 4 April. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway the opening games of the season were delayed. It was first delayed until 2 May, then further delayed until 23 May. The season was scheduled to end 29 November 2020, not including play-off matches, but was rescheduled to conclude on 22 December. On 7 May, the Norwegian government allowed the league to start on 16 June with full training starting immediately.
Molde were the defending champions. Aalesund, Sandefjord and Start joined as the promoted clubs from the 2019 1. divisjon. They replaced Lillestrøm, Tromsø and Ranheim who were relegated to the 2020 1. divisjon.
Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic The season was scheduled to begin on 4 April, but on 12 March it was revealed that the first five rounds of the season were postponed and the opening game therefore would be delayed until 2 May due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway. On 24 March, the Norwegian Football Federation announced that the football season was further delayed till 23 May. On 7 May, the Norwegian government allowed the teams to begin with full training starting immediately, and opened for the league season to start on 16 June. On 12 June, the NFF announced that 200 spectators would be allowed to attend the games. On 30 September, the Minister of Culture and Church Affairs, Abid Raja, announced that clubs would be able to have crowds of 600 at games from 12 October.
Teams Sixteen teams compete in the league – the top thirteen teams from the previous season, and three teams promoted from 1. division. The promoted teams were Aalesund (after an absence of two years), Sandefjord and Start (both returning to the top flight after one season's absence). They replaced Lillestrøm, Tromsø and Ranheim, ending their top flight spells of forty-five, five and two years respectively.
Stadiums and locations
Note: Table lists in alphabetical order. Team Location Arena Turf Capacity Aalesund 17 Ålesund Color Line Stadion Artificial10,778 Bodø/Glimt 25 Bodø Aspmyra Stadion Artificial 5,635 Brann 63 Bergen Brann Stadion Natural 17,049 Haugesund 14 Haugesund Haugesund Stadion Natural8,754 Kristiansund 4 Kristiansund Kristiansund Stadion Artificial 4,444 Mjøndalen 21 Mjøndalen Consto Arena Artificial 4,200 Molde 44 Molde Aker Stadion Artificial11,249 Odd 39 Skien Skagerak Arena Artificial11,767 Rosenborg 57 Trondheim Lerkendal Stadion Natural 21,421 Sandefjord 8 Sandefjord Sandefjord Arena Natural 6,582 Sarpsborg 08 9 Sarpsborg Sarpsborg Stadion Artificial8,022 Stabæk 24 Bærum Nadderud Stadion Natural4,938 Start 42 Kristiansand Sør Arena Artificial14,448 Strømsgodset 33 Drammen Marienlyst Stadion Artificial8,935 Vålerenga 60 Oslo Intility Arena Artificial16,555 Viking 70 Stavanger Viking Stadion Artificial15,900
Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Aalesund Umbro Sparebanken Møre Bodø/Glimt Diadora Sparebanken Nord-Norge Brann Nike Sparebanken Vest Haugesund Macron Haugaland Kraft Kristiansund Macron SpareBank 1 Nordvest Mjøndalen Umbro Sparebanken Øst Molde Magnus Wolff Eikrem Nike Sparebanken Møre Odd Hummel SpareBank 1 Telemark Rosenborg Adidas SpareBank 1 SMN Sandefjord Macron Jotun Sarpsborg 08 Select Borregaard Stabæk Macron SpareBank 1 Østlandet Start Macron Sparebanken Sør Strømsgodset Puma DNB Vålerenga Umbro DNB Viking Diadora Lyse
Managerial changes Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Table Incoming manager Date of appointment Table Sarpsborg 08 Geir BakkeSigned by Lillestrøm1 January 2020Pre-season Mikael Stahre13 January 2020Pre-season Vålerenga Ronny DeilaSigned by New York City6 January 2020 Dag-Eilev Fagermo 31 January 2020 Odd Dag-Eilev FagermoSigned by Vålerenga31 January 2020 Jan Frode Nornes 11 March 2020 Rosenborg Eirik Horneland Mutual consent 26 June 2020 12th Trond Henriksen (interim) 21 July 2020 Brann Lars Arne Nilsen Mutual consent 1 August 2020 8th Kåre Ingebrigtsen 8 August 20207 Aalesund Lars Bohinen Sacked 23 August 2020 16th Lars Arne Nilsen 25 August 202016 Rosenborg Trond Henriksen (interim) End of caretaker spell 1 September 2020 4th Åge Hareide 1 September 20204
Transfers
Winter
Summer
League table
Results
Relegation playoffs
The 14th-placed team in Eliteserien will play against the winners of the 1. divisjon promotion play-offs on neutral ground to decide who will play in the 2021 Eliteserien.
Mjøndalen IF won 3–2 and maintained their position in the Eliteserien; Sogndal Fotball stayed in the 1. divisjon.
Season statistics
Top scorers RankPlayerClubGoals1 Kasper Junker Bodø/Glimt272 Amahl Pellegrino Kristiansund253 Philip Zinckernagel Bodø/Glimt194 Veton Berisha Viking165 Mushaga Bakenga Odd156 Jens Petter Hauge Bodø/Glimt147 Leke James Molde138 Dino Islamovic Rosenborg12 Ohi Omoijuanfo Molde Ulrik Saltnes Bodø/Glimt Kristoffer Zachariassen Rosenborg
Hat-tricks
Player For Against Result Date Kasper Junker Bodø/Glimt Haugesund 6–1 (H) Amahl Pellegrino Kristiansund Aalesund 7–2 (H) Torgeir Børven Odd Vålerenga 4–1 (H) Kasper Junker Bodø/Glimt Brann 5–0 (H) Viðar Örn Kjartansson Vålerenga Brann 5–1 (H) Daouda Bamba Brann Aalesund 3–1 (H) Kasper Junker Bodø/Glimt Haugesund 0–4 (A) Mushaga Bakenga Odd Kristiansund 4–3 (A) Lars-Jørgen Salvesen Strømsgodset Odd 1–3 (A) Ibrahima Wadji Haugesund Kristiansund 1–3 (A)
Clean sheets
RankPlayerClubCleansheets1 David Mitov NilssonSarpsborg 0810 Jacob StorevikSandefjord3 Marcus SandbergStabæk94 Kristoffer KlaessonVålerenga8 Sondre RossbachOdd6 Andreas LindeMolde7 Nikita KhaykinBodø/Glimt Sosha MakaniMjøndalen Helge SandvikHaugesund10 André HansenRosenborg5
Discipline Player
Most yellow cards: 9 Niklas Gunnarsson (Strømsgodset)
Most red cards: 2 Alexander Betten Hansen (Mjøndalen) Ipalibo Jack (Strømsgodset)
Club
Most yellow cards: 69 Aalesund
Most red cards: 3 Mjøndalen Molde Sandefjord Vålerenga Awards Annual awards Award Winner Club Player of the Year Philip ZinckernagelBodø/Glimt Young Player of the Year Jens Petter HaugeBodø/Glimt Manager of the Year Kjetil Knutsen Bodø/Glimt Goal of the Year Ola Brynhildsen Stabæk
League attendances Due to COVID-19 restrictions only 200 people were allowed in each match at the beginning of the season.
Two clubs were punished for incidents of racism during their matches, having to play certain games without attendants.
References