Sweden Allsvenskan 04/01 12:00 1 IFK Goteborg v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 04/08 17:10 2 Djurgarden v BK Hacken - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 04/14 14:30 3 Djurgarden v Sirius - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 04/21 12:00 4 AIK v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 04/25 17:00 5 Djurgarden v Malmo FF - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 04/28 14:30 6 Djurgarden v GAIS - View
Sweden Cup 05/01 14:00 1 Malmo FF v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 05/05 12:00 7 Vasteras SK v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 05/12 14:30 8 Djurgarden v Elfsborg - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 05/15 13:00 9 Brommapojkarna v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 05/18 13:00 10 Djurgarden v Halmstad - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 05/25 13:00 11 Mjällby AIF v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 06/01 13:00 12 Djurgarden v Hammarby - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 07/06 13:00 13 IFK Norrkoping v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 07/13 13:00 14 Djurgarden v IFK Varnamo - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 07/20 13:00 15 Kalmar FF v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 07/27 13:00 16 Elfsborg v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 08/03 13:00 17 Djurgarden v IFK Goteborg - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 08/10 13:00 18 BK Hacken v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 08/17 13:00 19 Djurgarden v AIK - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 08/24 13:00 20 Sirius v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 08/31 13:00 21 Malmo FF v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 09/14 13:00 22 Djurgarden v Mjällby AIF - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 09/21 13:00 23 GAIS v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 09/25 13:00 24 Djurgarden v Brommapojkarna - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 09/28 13:00 25 IFK Varnamo v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 10/05 13:00 26 Djurgarden v Kalmar FF - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 10/19 13:00 27 Hammarby v Djurgarden - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 10/26 13:00 28 Djurgarden v Vasteras SK - View
Sweden Allsvenskan 11/02 13:00 29 Halmstad v Djurgarden - View

Djurgårdens IF Fotbollsförening – commonly known as Djurgårdens IF, Djurgården Fotboll (official name), Djurgården (IPA: [ˈjʉ̂ːrˌɡoːɖɛn]), and (especially locally) Djurgår'n (IPA: [ˈjʉ̌ː(r)ɡɔɳ]), Dif or DIF – is the professional men's association football department of its parent association Djurgårdens IF. Founded 1891 on the island of Djurgården, the club's home ground is Tele2 Arena, situated in the Johanneshov district of Stockholm.

Competing in the highest Swedish tier, Allsvenskan, the club has won the league twelve times and the cup five times. The league titles have mainly been won during three separate eras. The first period was the 1910s, when the team won four league titles. The second era occurred in the 1950s and 1960s, when Djurgården won the league four times. The most recent era was during the first half of the 2000s, when they won both the league and the cup three times. From 2017 to the current day, the club has seen a boom, both nationally and internationally, highlighted by the Svenska Cupen title in 2018, the league title in 2019, and their qualification to 2022–23 Europa Conference League round of 16.

Supporters of the club, called djurgårdare, are found in all socio-economic spheres and throughout all areas of Stockholm and, to some extent, all over Sweden. However, East Vasastan and Östermalm, the latter in particular where Djurgården's former home ground Stadion is situated, is by some considered the club's heartland. Djurgården is affiliated to the Stockholms Fotbollförbund.

History

Foundation

Djurgårdens IF was founded primarily by John G. Jansson, on 12 March 1891, at a café in Alberget 4A in the island Djurgården in central Stockholm. Most of the founding members were from the dockyard-industry working class, an identity that stayed true up until the 1940s and 1950s.

The club originally focused on winter sports and athletics. The first true football field in Stockholm was created in 1896. Djurgårdens IF's football department was formed in 1899 with the help of former GAIS player Teodor Andersson. Djurgården played their first match in July 1899, a 1–2 loss against AIK.

First four Swedish Championship titles (1910s and 1920s)

Djurgården playing against IK Brage at Stockholms Stadion in 1930.

The team's first real achievement was made in 1902 when the team finished second in the Rosenska Pokalen tournament. Just two years later, in 1904, the club participated in its first Svenska Mästerskapet final, ending in a defeat against Örgryte IS.

The team lost three more Swedish Championship finals, all against teams from Gothenburg, (1906 against Örgryte, 1909 against Örgryte and 1910 against IFK Göteborg) before the first victory came in the 1912 final, with a 3–1 win against Örgryte. In 1910, the first Djurgården players were selected for the national team, Ivar Friberg, Erik Lavass, Samuel Lindqvist, and Bertil Nordenskjöld played a friendly against Norway on 11 September 1910.

The club won three more Swedish Championships in the 1910s and 1920s, the 1915 final against Örgryte, the 1917 final against AIK, and the 1920 final against IK Sleipner, and played a total of twelve finals in the 30 editions that was played of the championship until 1925. Bertil Nordenskjöld and Ragnar Wicksell were part of the champion squad all four finals, and Gottfrid Johansson, Einar Olsson and Sten Söderberg in three of them. Nordenskjöld played in all Djurgården's Svenska Mästerskapet finals. Although the team became Swedish champions four times during the period of a cup championship, Djurgården never managed to win the national league of the period, the Svenska Serien.

Djurgården did not qualify for the first season of Allsvenskan, and only reached that league twice between 1924 and 1944, in 1927–28 and 1936–37, both times being directly relegated back down to the second tier Division 2. The club also played three seasons in the then third highest league, Division 3 (Swedish football), between 1929 and 1932. From 1944 on, Djurgården became a stable Allsvenskan team.

Stockholm Olympic Stadium, built for the 1912 Summer Olympics, became Djurgården's permanent home ground in 1936, replacing Tranebergs IP.

1950s and 1960s champions era

Hans Mild shielding his goalkeeper from the onrushing Degerfors IF player Tord Grip.
Gösta Sandberg also known as "Mr Djurgården".

The second great era took place in the 1950s and 1960s, with Djurgården winning Allsvenskan four times during the period.

In 1951, the team became runners-up in Svenska Cupen after a 1–2 final loss against Malmö FF; this was the team's first Svenska Cupen final.

Djurgården's fifth Swedish championships, and first Allsvenskan win, was taken in the 1954–55 season under the lead of Frank Soo. In the 1955–56 season, Djurgården became the first Swedish team to enter the European Cup. Beating Gwardia Warszawa in the first round, Djurgården advanced to quarter-finals against Scottish Hibernian that they lost by 1–4 over two matches.

Djurgårdens IF team of 1959. Back from left: Hans Karlsson, Lars Broström, John Eriksson, Birger Eklund, Eje Nilsson, Gösta Sandberg; front from left: Olle Hellström, Stig Gustafsson, Arne Arvidsson, Hans Mild och Sigge Parling.

In 1959, both the football team and Djurgårdens IF's hockey team won their respective Swedish Championships of Sweden's two most popular sports, a remarkable happening. The 1959 title was secured on Råsunda Stadium, in front of 48,894 people, marking a record attendance for Djurgården, with a team of Sven Tumba, Birger Eklund, Lars Broström, John Eriksson, Hans Karlsson, Gösta Sandberg, Olle Hellström, Stig Gustafsson, Arne Arvidsson, Hans Mild and Sigge Parling.

The year after, in the 1960 season Djurgården finished 11th and therefore was relegated to the second division. The team only needed one year to return to Allsvenskan. In 1964 and 1966, Djurgården took its seventh and eight championships, with 1966 marking the end of the career of Gösta Sandberg. Sandberg played 322 league matches for the team 1951–66 and scored 77 goals. Gösta Sandberg is known as "Mr Djurgården" and was in 1991 named "Djurgårdare of the century". Sandberg also played for the club's bandy and ice hockey section. He died on his way home after attending the Tvillingderbyt in 2006.

It is during this era that the nickname "Järnkaminerna" ("The Iron Furnaces") was established, due to the club's physical playing style. The ideal of a strong and uncompromising Djurgården player might also be traced back to the club's working-class roots.

Middle years

The 1970s saw no greater successes; however, Djurgården was steady in Allsvenskan and had three third-places and a final loss in the 1975 Svenska Cupen Final as the best results. Gary Williams became the first foreign player in the team in the 1977 season.

A chart showing the progress of Djurgårdens IF through the Swedish football league system. The different shades of gray represent league divisions.

The 1980s was not a good decade for the club, being relegated from Allsvenskan in 1981, and losing two promotion play-offs, before making a one-year visit in the highest league in 1986, although DIF returned two years later, and stayed in Allsvenskan for five consecutive seasons, but had no greater success except losing the Championship final in 1988. In 1987, Djurgårdens IF Fotboll presented a 12 million Swedish krona deficit and later transformed into an aktiebolag. Then-to-become England striker Teddy Sheringham had a brief spell at Djurgården early in his career, as a 19-year-old loanee in 1985, and was part of the squad that won the promotion to Allsvenskan after beating GAIS in a dramatic penalty shoot-out in the playoffs.

The 1990s started off well for Djurgården and in 1990 the team won the Svenska Cupen for the first time and took Djurgårdens biggest ever win when they defeated local rival Hammarby with 9–1 in Allsvenskan on 13 August. Although Djurgården undisputedly had a promising start of the 1990s the rest of the decade was not particularly successful and Djurgården was relegated from Allsvenskan no less than three times, and promoted back two times. During this decade, the club suffered from great economic problems and was close to bankruptcy. The 1995 season started well, but ended badly; in the last home match of the 1995 Allsvenskan, a supporter, later named Terror-Tommy in media, came on pitch and kicked referee Anders Frisk.

2000s champions era (1999–2006)

Andreas Johansson in 2013.

In the middle of 1999 season, Zoran Lukic and Sören Åkeby took over the team and won the inaugural 2000 Superettan, and finished 2nd as newly promoted in the 2001 Allsvenskan. With a team consisting of Stefan Rehn, Kim Källström, Andreas Johansson, and Andreas Isaksson, Djurgården secured its first title in 36 years in the last round of the 2002 Allsvenskan. Later in the year, Djurgården also won Svenska Cupen by beating AIK, 1–0 on golden goal. The first half of the 2000s was a golden era for the club, with three championships (2002, 2003 and 2005) and three cup wins (2002, 2004 and 2005). This marked the end of the golden era for Djurgården, which ended on sixth place in 2006. The club was one of the main contenders for the league championship in 2007, which ultimately led to a third place. The golden era saw the club play against European clubs Juventus, FC Girondins de Bordeaux, Shamrock Rovers F.C., FK Partizan and FC Utrecht. The most remarkable result being the 2–2 draw away against Juventus at Stadio Delle Alpi.

The difficult years

Simon Tibbling in 2014

The results went downhill in 2008 and 2009; Djurgården ended up in 14th place in 2009 and had to play through a relegation playoff against Assyriska Föreningen to remain in Allsvenskan. In the early 2010s, Djurgården was a mid-table Allsvenskan team finishing 7th to 11th between 2010 and 2014. When the newly appointed director of sport Bo Andersson who led Djurgården to three titles in the early 21st century came back in 2014 he was forced to sell players such as Daniel Amartey (who became the most expensive defender ever sold by an Allsvenskan club for about 25 million SEK), Erton Fejzullahu, Christian Rubio Sivodedov and Simon Tibbling which stabilized the economy.

The start of something new

In January 2017, Djurgården sold the Kenyan international forward Michael Olunga for a club record fee of 40 million SEK which made the club's financial positions one of the best in the country. The transfer also made it possible to sign club legend Kim Källström and fellow former Swedish international Jonas Olsson. Both players, together with recently returned goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson, played important roles as Djurgården finished in third place in the 2017 Allsvenskan, qualifying for the second qualifying round for the 2018–19 UEFA Europa League for the first time in ten years.

After 13 years without a title Djurgården won the Svenska Cupen on 10 May 2018 going through the Cup scoring 14 goals and not conceding a single goal. They defeated Malmö FF 3–0 in a thrilling final at Tele2 Arena, impressive considering the poor form they had in the league before the game.

Bergstrand and Lagerlöf years (since 2019)

Marcus Danielson in 2018.

For the 2019 season, Kim Bergstrand and Thomas Lagerlöf became managers of Djurgården. The team won the league title for the first time in fourteen years, securing the title and a spot in the 2020–21 UEFA Champions League third qualifying round on the last day of the season after a 2–2 draw (after being down 2–0 at half time) away from home against IFK Norrköping. After the season Djurgården sold defender and team captain Marcus Danielsson to the Chinese club Dalian Professional for what was reported a club record fee of more than 50 million SEK. This made Djurgården one of Sweden's wealthiest clubs along with various other sales.

The club ended up in fourth place in the 2020 campaign. Highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the start of the season was significantly delayed, and all the games were played with no spectators allowed in the stands.

In 2021 the club ended third in the league, thereby winning a spot in the second qualifying round of the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League. Djurgården also reached the knockout stage of the Svenska Cupen and eventually the semi-finals, where they lost to Malmö FF.

Djurgården squad during practice in 2022

Their 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League journey began in the second qualifying round against Rijeka who they defeated 4–1 on aggregate over the two games. With this they advanced to the third qualifying round where they were drawn against the Romanian Cup winners Sepsi OSK, who they managed to beat 6–2 over the two legs. Finally, they were then drawn against the experienced Cypriot campaigners APOEL in the play-off round. The two-legged fixture ended 5–3 in favour of Djurgården, and with this they qualified for the group stages of a European tournament for the first time in club history. They were subsequently drawn into group F alongside Belgian Cup winners Gent, Irish champions Shamrock Rovers and Norwegian neighbours Molde, with whom they had a Nordic derby.

Djurgården secured at least 30 million SEK for qualifying for the group stages. The club advanced to the 2022–23 UEFA Europa Conference League knockout phase after their 4–2 win over Gent in Stockholm, securing another 2 million Euros in prize money. The Swedes topped their group with one game to spare after they came from 2–0 down away against Molde to record a 3–2 win, with Haris Radetinac scoring the winner. They ended up on 16 points, 8 clear of Gent on second place and 9 of Molde in third. They got drawn against the polish club Lech Poznan in the round of 16.

Their domestic 2022 season saw Djurgården securing a European qualifying spot in the 2023–24 UEFA Europa Conference League, in the third to last game of the Allsvenskan season, after other results went in their favour, they ended in second place.

The 2023 campaign ended with massive disappointment both domestic and on the international stage. The swedes were eliminated in the conference league against Luzern from Switzerland in the second qualifying round. The team didn’t do much better in Allsvenskan, they ended 4th after being massive favourites to win after the success the previous season.

They qualified for the group stage in the domestic cup after beating Sandviken away from home, and they got drawn in to a group consisting of IFK Göteborg, Nordic United and Skövde AIK. They won their group on maximum 9 points, and reached the final after winning against Degerfors IF in the quarterfinals with 3-0 and AIK 2-3 after penalties in the semifinals.

On 2 February 2024,the club sold their young and eligible talent Lucas Bergvall to Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for a record breaking sum for the club, around 10 million Euro or 113 million SEK.

Djurgarden is a professional soccer team based in Stockholm, Sweden. The team was founded in 1891 and has a rich history in Swedish soccer. Djurgarden plays in the Allsvenskan, the top tier of Swedish soccer, and has won the league title 11 times. The team's home stadium is the Tele2 Arena, which has a capacity of 30,000 spectators.

Djurgarden is known for its passionate fan base, who are known as "Järnkaminerna" (The Iron Stoves). The team's colors are blue and yellow, which are also the colors of the Swedish flag. Djurgarden's style of play is characterized by quick passing, high pressing, and a focus on attacking football.

The current squad is made up of a mix of experienced veterans and young, talented players. The team's captain is Marcus Danielson, a central defender who has also played for the Swedish national team. Other key players include midfielder Jesper Karlstrom and striker Emir Kujovic.

Djurgarden has a strong rivalry with fellow Stockholm-based team AIK, and matches between the two teams are always highly anticipated. The team also has a history of success in European competitions, having reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup in 2005.

Overall, Djurgarden is a respected and successful team in Swedish soccer, with a passionate fan base and a commitment to playing attractive, attacking football.