REMA 1000-ligaen Women (Norway) 2026/27

The REMA 1000-ligaen, officially known as Eliteserien i håndball for kvinner, stands as the premier domestic competition for women’s handball in Norway. Organised by the Norwegian Handball Federation, the tournament traces its lineage back to the 1967/68 season, when it was first contested under the name Hovedserien. The modern elite structure, currently utilising the Eliteserien designation, was introduced during the 1993/94 campaign, replacing the earlier 1. divisjon format. The competitive calendar features a rigorous regular season where fourteen clubs engage in a double round-robin format, ensuring each side plays twenty-six matches. This phase determines advancement to the sluttspill, the championship playoffs. Eight teams secure a place in this knockout stage, which unfolds through quarterfinals, semifinals, and a final, all decided via best-of-three series. Success in the league is historically dominated by a select few outfits. Larvik HK holds the record for most titles, securing nineteen championships, including a remarkable run of thirteen consecutive victories spanning from 2004/05 to 2016/17. Following this era, Vipers Kristiansand claimed seven straight titles between 2017/18 and 2023/24. The most recent champion, Storhamar HE, won their maiden title in the 2024/25 season. Financial partnerships have shaped the league's identity over time. Sponsors including Gildeserien, Postenligaen, and GRUNDIGligaen have seen their names attached to the competition before REMA 1000 assumed the role in 2019. The pathway out of the top flight involves strict criteria. The side finishing in fourteenth place faces immediate relegation to the 1. divisjon. Those occupying twelfth and thirteenth positions enter a qualification playoff against the second and third-placed teams from the lower division, with matches played in a best-of-three format to determine who retains or gains top-flight status.