Basic Knowledge About Swedish Professional Football
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19 75 Average temperatures January July Malmö +31.6°F (-0.2°C) 62.2°F (+16.8°C) Stockholm +27.0°F (-2.8°C) 63.0°F (+17.2°C) Kiruna +3.2°F (-16.0°C) 55.0°F (+12.8°C) Daylight Januari 1 July 1 Malmö 7 hours 17 hours Stockholm 6 hours 18 hours Kiruna 0 hours 24 hours 2 Welcome to Sweden Spelarföreningen Fotboll i Sverige (SFS) would firstly Most important export goods: Machinery, electron- like to welcome you to Sweden. Established since ics and telecommunication, paper, pharmaceuticals, 1975 the Spelarföreningen has worked to improve the petroleum products, iron and steel, and foodstuffs playing conditions of all the players within Sweden. Most important imported goods: Electronics and Our dedicated team of representatives who are ex- telecommunication, machinery, foodstuffs, crude oil, professionals or still playing themselves are there to textiles and footwear, chemicals, pharmaceuticals help and answer your questions or concerns. If this and petroleum products is your first visit to Sweden let’s give you some basic information. There is so much more that we could tell you, but we will leave that up to your new club and team mates. Facts about Sweden But if you do need a little advice and help please read With a population of just over 9,3 million and 450 on to the next pages where we tell you what we can 000 km2 to live in, the third largest country in do for you. Western Europe, Forests: 53%, Mountains: 11%, Cultivated land: 8%, Lakes and rivers: 9%. Don´t be surprised that there might not be anyone around, but then You are never far away from the beauties and relaxation, The currency in Sweden is Swedish Kro- nor (SEK). Capital: Stockholm. Religion: In practice, Sweden is very secularized. The Church of Sweden is Evangelical Lutheran; co-exists with many other be- liefs. Life expectancy: Men 79 years, women 83 years 3 Spelarföreningen (SFS) The main goal of the Spelarföreningen (SFS) is to MEMBERSHIP FEES AND BENEFITS protect players and their interests in all possible ways For the services that the Spelarföreningen provide and to improve the conditions of all football players there is a membership fee. You can join the SFS by in Sweden. The SFS have around 600 members in telling your player representative or going to our web 2009 and over 90 percent of the players in Allsven- page www.spelarforeningen.com and click on “bli skan are members. medlem” and fill in all the necessary data. Below is a list of fees and the benefits that the fee provides. PLAYER REPRESENTATIVES There is one player’s representative in each club in FUNDING OF SALARIES Allsvenskan, Damallsvenskan och Superettan. The According to Swedish law, athletes are allowed to player’s representatives play a vital part of the Spelar- move aside approximately 35% of their yearly salary föreningen. They not only deliver essential informa- to a separate fund without paying taxes. They can tion to the players in their team but make the SFS withdraw it after finishing their professional football aware of any questions or concerns the players might career. There will be however taxes to pay when the have. They are our eyes and ears out in the clubs. This withdrawal time comes but this should be less than quick contact between our members and us mean during the athletes playing career. they get the help they need instantly. Contact Spelarföreningen to get more information about this. 4 INSURANCE COVER BENEFITS If you get injured or sick so you can’t play football • Free legal advice (after contact with Spelarföre- you will not receive your full salary. As a player in ningen) Allsvenska and Superettan you will receive 80 per- • Contractual advice cent of your salary the first 30 days and after that 90 • Personal insurance advice and offers percent up to max 42 000 SEK for the next 60 days. • Financial advice From day 91 you will only get money from the social • Member benefits of FIFPro security system and maximum money you get is 80 • Free e-mail address percent of 27 000 SEK (2010). We recommend you • Footballmagazine (Offside for men and Marta for to buy an insurance to avoid a big salary loss. You women) can but insurance so you will get 90 percent of your • Chance to take part in our transfer list salary if you get injured. Contact us and we will help • Education service you. Members playing in Damallsvenskan will get 90 Home insurance for a cost of 900 SEK/Y (for mem- percent of your salary the hole injury time up to max bers playing in Allsvenskan och Superettan) salary of 27 000 SEK/mounth. FEES (Yearly) Allsvenskan 1 500 SEK (a home insurance is included in the fee) Superettan 1 300 SEK (a home insurance is included in the fee) Damallsvenskan 500 SEK All others 400 SEK. 5 Basic knowledge about Swedish professional football There are four actors in the organization of the Swed- all other leagues or competitions are managed by the ish professional football: Svenska Fotbollförbundet Swedish Football Association. The highest leagues is (Swedish Football Association), Svensk Elitfotboll called Allsvenskan, Damallsvenskan och Superettan. (SEF, the mens league organization), Elitföreningen The Allsvenskan is the premier division of Swedish Damfotboll (EFD, the womens league organization) football, comprising the top 16 clubs of the country. and Spelarföreningen Fotboll I Sverige (Football These 16 teams are playing against each other home Players Association of Sweden) The Swedish Foot- and away for totally 30 games. Two teams will be rel- ball Association was founded the 18th of December egated after the season and one team the third from 1904. It has 3 359 member teams and around 500 000 bottom will play playoffs against the third team in players in these teams. The Swedish Football Associa- Superettan (second league). The four first positions tion is the largest sport association in Finland meas- will play qualifying games to CL and EL. Superettan ured by the number of players. Approximately 33 has also sixteen teams. Damallsvenskan has 12 teams percent of all sport activities in Sweden is football. It and the 11th and 12th team will be relegated. is over 285 000 licensed players. The League One and 19 75 6 1 5 10 9 2 2 1 6 11 8 13 11 1 12 5 4 2 1 Swedish football teams on map 2010 2 3 7 9 12 7 6 1 Stockholm 2 10 10 1 Göteborg 2 4 6 5 8 5 5 9 3 13 Malmö 3 7 Domestic football The Premier Leauge in Sweden is named Allsvenskan ettan are a lot of players semiprofessional. “the All-Swede”(16 clubs). Has a strong positionwith The Swedish Cup was established 1941. To day the a large nationwide interest. The first national cham- Cup final is in the middle of November. The Cup has pionship was held in 1896 bur it was until 1924/25 a not been such a success as in Norway. nationwide league was established. The first title was won by Örgryte in 1896, 1897, 1898 and 1899. Milestones in Swedish Football 1908: the first international match against Norway Allsvenskan, five best clubs throu all the Years. were defeated 11-3. Club Seasons Games Points 1948: Sweden beat Yougoslavia in the Olympic final IFK Göteborg 77 1791 3015 in London. Malmö FF 74 1739 2968 1958: Sweden hosts the World Cup with big suc- AIK 81 1887 2854 cess. In the Final against Brazil, with Pelé, Garincha IFK Norrköping 70 1627 2508 among others, the gusts won 5-2. IF Elfsborg 66 1546 2227 1982: IFK Göteborg win the UEFA Cup 1987: IFK Göteborg UEFA Cupchampions again. All matches in Allsvenskan are televised, one match 1990: Lennart Johansson President in UEFA each is devoted for “Match of the week”in two TV- 1994: Sweden have a sensational World Cup in USA chanels and the rest are sent as pay-per-view. winning the bronz medal. All players in Allsvenskan are Professional, in Super- 8 Women football Damallsvenskan consists of twelve teams where team 11-12 are relegated after the season and replaced by the winners of the two division 1-leagues. There is also an on-line service from each match in Damallsvenskan. Matchfacts are to be found by click- ing on the desired match on the Swedish FA;s web- side. Teams placed 11-12 are relegated to Division 1 the next season History 1973: The first women’s international match Finland meet Sweden. The game ends 0-0. 1984: Sweden women’s national team becomes the first European Champions after beating England on penalties in the final. 1995: Sweden hosts the 2nd Women’s World Cup. 2003: A German golden goal leaves Sweden with the silver medals in the Women´s World Cup Final in USA. Umeå IK UEFA Women’s Cup Champions. 2004: Umeå defends its UEFA Women’s Cup title. 9 What is FIFPro? FIFPro is the worldwide representative organization Evert year Fifpro organize a tournament for unem- for all professional player’s. At the moment 42 na- ployed players’ to help the to find new clubs. tional players’ associations are members of FIFPro. FIFPro also have started FIFPro academy to help At FIFPro’s website, www.fifpro.org , you will find and inspire players’ to educate and prepair for there news from the FIFPro board, news from the affiliated secound career. associations with international relevance and the relevant news from related organizations. FIFPro are in close contact with FIFA, Uefa and EPFL (european professionel football leagues) both on world wide and european level to protect the play- ers’ rights.