Knattspyrnufélag Akureyrar ("Akureyri Football Club"), commonly abbreviated to KA, is an Icelandic multi-sport club based in Akureyri in the north of Iceland.[1] The club was founded in 1928. The football team currently plays in Besta deild karla and have won the top flight once in 1989.
The club crest features a red shield overlaid on a blue shield. Within the red shield is a golden ball, with the letters 'KA' positioned above it in white. The team colours are yellow shirts and blue shorts.
Its main rival is another sports club in Akureyri, Þór Akureyri.
History
The early years (1928–1943)
KA was founded on January 8, 1928, in the home of Margrét and Axel Schiöth, at Hafnarstræti 23, with the goal of promoting sports in Akureyri.
Between 1944 and 1974 the two most prominent football clubs in Akureyri, KA and Þór, sent a united team under the banner of ÍBA to the Icelandic first tier made up of a selection of players from the Akureyri clubs. The club played 17 seasons in the top flight of Icelandic football league, Úrvalsdeild karla.
The first time the two Akureyri clubs, KA and Þór, combined forces was against recent league champions Valur in the middle of July 1942. The teams played twice, the united team from Akureyri won one game but lost the other. The positive results gave impetus to unification ideas and in 1943 for the fourth time a team from Akureyri played in Úrvalsdeild karla. But now it sailed under the flag of Íþróttaráð Akureyrar (In english Akureyri Sports Council) and not KA as in all the previous times.[2]
The subsequent year, in 1944, saw the establishment of ÍB Akureyri. By 1946, a football team representing ÍBA competed in Úrvalsdeild karla, for the first time.
From 1955 to 1974, the ÍBA team always took part in the Icelandic men's football tournament. In 1974, the two respective sports clubs ended their collaboration and started sending teams separately as KA and Þór.[3]
Back to the top tier (2015– )
The summer of 2015 was filled with anticipation for KA. Despite losing some key players, the team demonstrated strength during preseason, reaching the final of the Icelandic Men's Football League Cup but ultimately losing to Breiðablik. Good signings, preseason success, and the experienced coach Bjarni Jóhannsson, who took over in 2013, led many pundits to predict that KA would be promoted to the top flight with ease.[2] However, the season failed to meet expectations, and the team finished in 3rd place, prompting the sacking of manager Jóhannsson, with his assistant Srdjan Tufegdzic taking over late in the season.[3]
In 2016, KA finally reached the top flight. Under new management with Tufegdzic at the helm and notable acquisitions like Hallgrímur Mar Steingrímsson, Guðmann Þórisson, and Ásgeir Sigurgeirsson, the team comfortably won the second division. Expectations were high for KA's first match in the top division in thirteen years. The team faced Breiðablik and emerged victorious with a 1–3 scoreline. The first season in the top division since 2004 fared well as the team finished in 7th place.[4]
The following year saw KA once again finish in 7th place, and at the end of the season, the club parted ways with Tufegdzic. Óli Stefán Flóventsson replaced him and managed to guide the team to 5th place, KA's best showing since 2002. Elfar Árni Aðalsteinsson emerged as the team's top scorer with 13 goals. However, the subsequent season did not go as well for Flóventsson, who was let go after managing five games without a win.[5] His replacement, Arnar Grétarsson, led the team to a 7th-place finish, although the season was cut short due to COVID-19. The season was notable for an unusual number of draws, with the team drawing 12 times. The team was praised for its solid defending and the homegrown player Brynjar Ingi Bjarnason had a breakout season.[6]
The 2021 season marked Grétarsson's first full season as head coach, during which significant acquisitions like Jonathan Hendrickx, Dušan Brković, and the return of homegrown player Daníel Hafsteinsson bolstered the team's roster.[7] On 29 May 2021, Bjarnason made his international debut for the Icelandic national team before being sold to Lecce midway through the season.[8] Despite the loss of Bjarnason, KA achieved remarkable success, securing its best result since 2002 with a 4th-place finish.[9] Moving into the 2022 season, KA continued its upward trajectory, clinching its second-best result ever in the Besta deild karla. This achievement qualified them for the UEFA Europa Conference League. Nökkvi Þeyr Þórisson showcased an outstanding performance throughout the season, earning recognition as the league's best player and top scorer with 17 goals. Notably, his remarkable achievements came despite his transfer to K Beerschot VA before the season concluded.[10] Grétarsson's assistant and former KA player, Hallgrímur Jónasson, assumed managerial duties for the team towards the end of the season, following the departure of Grétarsson.[11] Jónasson successfully navigated the team through the playoffs and a second-place finish.[12]
They have once been the Icelandic champions, in 1989 after a tough fight against FH (Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar). FH were in the lead until their final match, against already relegated team Fylkir. FH lost and KA obtained the title for the first time in their history.
KA formerly played at Akureyrarvöllur close to downtown Akureyri but have since moved all games to Greifavöllurinn, a temporary arena at the club's training base, KA-Heimilið in the Lundarhverfi neighborhood where a new permanent stadium is also being built.
Current squad
As of 5 August 2024
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Since 1999, KA has fielded a joint women's team with neighbouring club Þór Akureyri under the name Þór/KA in the top-level league Úrvalsdeild. In 2006 the team finished 7th of 8 teams, 8th/9 in 2007, the reaching a good 4th/10 in 2008 and then bettering those results with 3rd/10 in 2009 and a second-place finish in 2010. As Iceland was in the top 8 leagues of UEFA,[20] those second place was enough to qualify for the 2011–12 UEFA Women's Champions League.[21] The team entered in the round of 32 but lost 14–2 on aggregate to German team Turbine Potsdam.
In 2010 the team also went to the semi-finals in the Icelandic cup, losing to the eventual winner Valur.[22] In 1989 and 2013 they lost the cup final.
In 2012 Þór/KA finished first in the Úrvalsdeild and secured its first ever Icelandic championship.[23]
On 29 September 2017, the club secured its second national championship by defeating FH, in the last game of the season, 2–0 with goals from Sandra Jessen and Sandra Stephany Mayor.[24]
Before the 2006–2007 Icelandic handball season, they merged their handball clubs to form Akureyri Handboltafélag. In 2017, KA left the partnership and reinstated the KA Handball section.
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