When Malmö FF was on its way to securing first place in the elite league last autumn – the fifth consecutive series victory – sports manager Daniel Andersson talked about the goal ahead of the return to the women's top division.
To be able to compete with the absolute top in one year should not be possible, said Andersson to TT.
He was wrong. The newcomer leads the series with 38 points with ten matches left to play – two points ahead of Häcken and Hammarby.
Quick adaptation
It's not entirely expected that we would be in this position now, says MFF's CEO Niclas Carlnén.
We have seen that it takes some time to adapt to the new series level, but I think it went faster in the women's top division than in the elite league.
This Saturday, MFF and Hammarby will meet in Stockholm. A win there and the gap to "Bajen" grows to five points. After that, the Skåne team will meet the bottom team Alingsås before the top contender Häcken comes to Malmö.
Three straight MFF wins and the team has a firm grip on the gold medal with seven matches left to play.
"Not happened yet"
One should not talk about something that has not happened yet. We are incredibly happy that we can be at the top and even secure a European spot for next year. Then it's about doing as well as we can and if it's enough for a gold, it's fantastic, says Carlnén.
If it doesn't become a gold medal this year, MFF looks to the future with great confidence, says Niclas Carlnén.
It was not our long-term plan to take a gold medal so early. We have patience and we take one match at a time.
Top three in the women's top division after 16 played rounds out of a total of 26:
- Malmö FF, 38 points (+21 in goal difference)
Five upcoming matches: 6/9 Hammarby (away), 20/9 Alingsås (away), 24/9 Häcken (home), 27/9 Kristianstad (away), 4/10 Rosengård (home).
- Häcken, 36 points (+43)
Five upcoming matches: 6/9 Kristianstad (home), 21/9 Rosengård (home), 24/9 MFF (away), 29/9 AIK (away), 4/10 Alingsås (away).
- Hammarby, 36 points (+29)
Five upcoming matches: 6/9 MFF (home), 13/9 Linköping (home), 22/9 Djurgården (away), 28/9 Växjö (away), 4/10 AIK (home).
Note: The match day for Malmö FF–Häcken may be changed due to the schedule for MFF's men's team in the European League.
Malmö FF established its women's section in 1970 and in 1980, advancement to the top division was secured. In 1986, the club took its first gold medal on the women's side.
The club then also won gold medals in 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994. Ahead of the 2005 season, the women's section broke away from the parent association and played for two seasons under the name Malmö FF Dam.
The association changed its name to Ldb Malmö in 2007 and at the end of 2013 to the current FC Rosengård.
In the late 2010s, the members at MFF's annual meeting voted to restart a women's team.
The MFF board wanted to see a merger with Limhamn/Bunkeflo (LB07), which then had a women's team in the top division, but the members voted no. Instead, a women's team was created that started at the bottom of the series pyramid in division 4.
Since 2020, there have been five consecutive series victories. The newcomer now leads the women's top division with ten matches left to play – two points ahead of Häcken and Hammarby.
