linköpings fc · History

Linköpings FC is the women’s football club of Linköping, in the Swedish province of Östergötland, and has played in Elitettan, the country’s second tier, since 2026. It was founded on 4 November 2003 out of BK Kenty DFF as an elite project for women’s football in the city. The club made its Damallsvenskan debut in 2004 and stayed in the top flight for twenty-two consecutive seasons, up to 2025. Over that period it won the Swedish championship three times, in 2009, 2016 and 2017, and lifted the Svenska Cupen five times.

Foundation and early seasons

The club was formed at BK Kenty DFF’s annual meeting in November 2003. With Michael Bornehav as coach, it finished sixth in its first Damallsvenskan season in 2004. It came fourth in 2005 and third in 2006, the year of its first trophy, the 2006 Svenska Cupen. Linköping was also quick to act in the transfer market. In 2007 it signed the Brazilian internationals Cristiane and Daniela, and turnover rose from 2.4 million kronor in 2004 to 5.0 million in 2007. The team finished sixth that year. In 2008, under Daniel Pettersson, it finished second in the league behind Umeå IK and won the cup again.

The first league title, 2009

Under Magnus Wikman, 2009 brought a double. Linköping won its first Damallsvenskan title and held on to the Svenska Cupen, its third cup in four seasons. The title earned the club its first place in the UEFA Women’s Champions League. In the 2009–10 competition it reached the round of 16, where Duisburg knocked it out. Linköping also won the Supercupen, played between the league champions and the cup winners, in 2009 and again in 2010. In the 2010–11 Champions League it reached the quarter-finals and went out to Arsenal on away goals after a 3–3 aggregate draw.

Linköping Arena and the Sjögren years

Until 2013 the team played its home games at Folkungavallen. That year the city opened Linköping Arena in the Kallerstad district, north of the centre. The stadium hosted four matches at the 2013 UEFA Women’s Euro and then became Linköpings FC’s home ground. In April 2023 Bilbörsen bought the naming rights and the stadium was renamed Bilbörsen Arena. On the pitch, Martin Sjögren coached the team from 2012 to 2016. His spell brought two more cups, in 2014 and 2015, and a Champions League quarter-final in 2014–15, lost to Brøndby. His final season ended with the second league title, in 2016.

Back-to-back champions in 2016 and 2017

Kim Björkegren replaced Sjögren for 2017 and the team defended its crown. It was the club’s third Damallsvenskan title and took Linköping into the 2017–18 Champions League, where it again reached the quarter-finals. Manchester City knocked it out there, winning 7–3 on aggregate. During its top-flight years Linköping fielded Swedish internationals such as Hedvig Lindahl, Caroline Seger, Kosovare Asllani, Nilla Fischer, Stina Blackstenius, Fridolina Rolfö and Magdalena Eriksson. Denmark’s Pernille Harder and the American Tiffeny Milbrett also played for the club.

Coaching changes and relegation in 2025

From 2018 onwards the club changed coaches often. Marcus Walfridson, Henrik Jensen and Olof Unogård all took charge that year, and Unogård stayed until 2020. Andrée Jeglertz arrived for the 2021 season and stayed for two campaigns. His successor, Anders Jacobson, led Linköping to third place in 2023. The Spanish coach Rafael Roldán was in charge in 2024. The team went out in Champions League qualifying, finished ninth in the league, and Roldán was dismissed at the end of the season. His assistant, Jonne Kunnas, took over. In June 2025 the team sat in the relegation places, and the club changed coach again, bringing in Willie Kirk. Linköping finished thirteenth in the 2025 Damallsvenskan and dropped to Elitettan. It was the club’s first relegation since its founding in 2003.