Who is the President of the Football Association of Iceland?

Thorvaldur Orlygsson is the President of the Football Association of Iceland.

Has the Iceland National Football Team ever won a trophy?

The Iceland National Football Team has never won a trophy.

Who is the Iceland National Football Team Top Scorer?

Gylfi Sigurdsson is the all-time leading scorer with 27 goals in 83 appearances.

Where is Iceland ranked in football?

Iceland is currently ranked 74th in the FIFA World Rankings.

In which year, the Iceland National Football Team played their first match?

The Iceland National Football Team played their first official match back in July 1946, where Iceland lost 0-3 away to Denmark.

What language does the Iceland National Football Team speak?

Icelandic is the language spoken by the Strakarnir Okkar.

Iceland National Football Team - Squad, Injuries, Schedule and Stats

The story of football in Iceland is nothing short of a modern theater play. The plot is divided into three parts: the beginning, the middle, and the end. The Iceland National Football Team’s first official international football game under the FIFA banner was played back in 1946, with the team managing to win their first ever international game only in 1947.

The team struggled to get past the qualifiers for a long time to play in the Euros or even the biggest international stage of them all, the FIFA World Cup. Iceland was ranked 131st in the June 2012 edition of the FIFA World Rankings, showcasing the years of struggle and misfortune when it came to delivering on the big stage.

The turning point in the plot came in 2015, as Iceland finished second in Group A to qualify for their maiden Euros appearance in 2016, even reaching 23rd in the world rankings at the time. After two draws and a win in the tournament’s group stage, the team set up a clash with giants England in the Round of 16, where Iceland pulled off an improbable 2-1 win over the tournament favorites. While they bowed out in the quarterfinals against eventual finalists France, Iceland’s run encapsulated the ‘Rise of the Underdogs’ as the central theme of the entire tournament.

However, the fall of the heroes was far greater than the rise of the national football team.

Between 2017 and 2021, the Icelandic national football team was marred in scandals and controversy, disgracing all their achievements from the past. With the slate wiped clean and new players stepping up to the plate, there is a new hope rising in the Nordic country as players like Hakon Arnar Haraldsson and Albert Gudmundsson take the lead.

Iceland National Football Team Key Facts

The Icelandic National Football Team came into existence to showcase the Nordic country's ability to play the sport in the world arena. Strakarnir Okkar played its first official game back in 1930. But the team was only officially recognized by FIFA until 1946. The most surprising fact is that while they won their first-ever game, which was unofficial, they lost their first official game in the sport against Denmark more than 15 years later.

Confederation	UEFA (Europe)
President of Football Association of Iceland	Thorvaldur Orlygsson
Nicknames	Strakarnir Okkar (Our Boys)
National Stadium	Laugardalsvoellur
Capacity	15,427
Manager/Head Coach	Arnar Gunnlaugsson

Football Association of Iceland

The KSI is the governing body of the footballing system in Iceland. The nation formed this body in 1947, when it joined under the FIFA banner. The action that takes place in Icelandic football, including Besta deild karla, Bikarkeppni KSI, Deildarbikar karla, or Meistarakeppni karla, KSI supervises the organization and commencement of these competitions.

The federation is key in navigating and building the structure to improve the Strakarnir Okkar through its highs and lows. Since the KSI is located in Reykjavik, Laugardalsvöllur is the home ground of the Iceland National Football Team for qualifiers, friendlies, and all tournaments.
The federation has been through rocky waters over the years and gained limelight for all the wrong reasons in the mainstream media during the 2017-2021 sexual scandals that shook its foundations. While the KSI has since seen multiple changes of guard, the reputation repair is something that will still take time in the coming years. Currently ranked 74th in the FIFA World Rankings, the federation will be keen to help the team reach back to the heights it reached in 2016.

History of Iceland National Football Team: Early Years

Even though the Besta deild karla was founded in 1912, Iceland's first international match was only played in July 1930, against the Faroe Islands. While Iceland won the game 1–0 away, the result was inconsequential since both teams were unaffiliated with football's apex body, FIFA.

The first official match took place at Laugardalsvöllur in July 1946, resulting in a 0–3 loss to its future rivals Denmark. The first two decades of the Football Association of Iceland's existence saw the team miss out on qualifying for the FIFA World Cup or the UEFA European Championship. It was only in 1954 that the nation applied to take part in the qualification for the 1954 World Cup.

However, the application from KSI was rejected by FIFA. While they were involved in the qualification rounds for the 1958 World Cup, Iceland finished bottom of its group with zero wins, while conceding 26 goals.

Home Stadium of Iceland National Football Team

Laugardalsvöllur is the home of the Icelandic National Football Team, and the team has played all of its games since 1957 at the ground.

The construction of the ground started in 1949 and was fully completed by 1952. Over the years, the stadium has undergone several renovations, and the largest attendance for a football game was recorded to be 20,204, when Iceland played Italy in 2004.

Iceland National Football Team: Achievements & Honours

Strakarnir Okkar has not won any major silverware over the years, while only managing two major tournament appearances in UEFA Euro 2016 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.