Damallsvenskan 2025 restart: Five teams to watch moving forward | OneFootball

After a six-week break for the European Championships in Switzerland, the Damallsvenskan is back for the second half of the season.

The spring season ended with BK Häcken sitting top of the table, and Hammarby with the first silverware of the season. As the autumn season commences, here are five teams to watch out for as crunch time hits.

The league leaders: BK Häcken

BK Häcken may sit top of the pile going into the autumn season, but their campaign was not always smooth sailing. Last year’s runners-up started the season with back-to-back losses against then newly promoted Malmö and Kristianstads. Since those opening fixtures, the side have lost one further league game, against Hammarby, and won the other nine fixtures. The side also crashed out of the Svenska Cupen at the semi-final. It was the first time they had not reached the final since 2019. The side go into the autumn season with 27 points, one ahead of both second-place Hammarby and third-place Malmö.

Häcken’s strongest area this season has been their goalscoring. The side scored 43 goals in the spring season, and only failed to convert against two teams. Of the 10 games they did find the net, that’s an average of 4.3 goals per game. They have a 33 goal difference as it stands, way above Hammarby on 16, and Malmö on 13. For reference, at the bottom of the table, Alingsås have a goal difference of -24, having only scored six goals so far.

BK Häcken’s autumn season will consist of juggling a few different plates. The side have been the runners-up in every league season since 2020, which they won by seven points.

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Fun fact: Hammarby have been promoted and won a league title since Häcken’s last title win. They will want to break the second-place curse, especially as they go in on top. But it won’t be easy. The side will also face UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers during the autumn, and if they were to progress to the league stage of the European competition, that too or even a Europa Cup run. Häcken will host Djurgåden on August 9 in the first game back.

Player to watch: Felicia Schröder

Sitting in second: Hammarby

As previously stated, Hammarby are the only team in the league to already have silverware this season. The side, who sit second in the table, won the Svenska Cupen in May for the fourth time in their history. Last season, Hammarby took Europe by storm with their record-breaking attendances, drums, and songs in their UWCL group. This season has been slightly more divided. The side started by scoring lots and taking control of games. Across two games, the side put nine past last year’s league winners Rosengård. But as the spring season went on, the goals slightly dwindled, and wins were much harder fought for.

Hammarby go into the second half of the season with several changes. Their starting attacking midfielder, Smilla Vallotto, switched Södermalm for Wolfsburg during the summer transfer window — joining the German giants before the Euros. Other confirmed changes sees Bajen’s number one Anna Tamminen out for three months after undergoing a finger surgery. Academy products Bella Andersson left the club to join Real Madrid and Ellen Wangerheim’s future remain’s up in the air. The side have also welcomed a number of new talent, including Rosengård’s Bea Sprung, who had over 100 appearances for the Malmö side, despite being only 20.

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That being said, Hammarby have one of the strongest and most complete squads in the league. The side will look to do the double for the first time since the 2023 season. There is also the small matter of their UWCL qualifying campaign, where they sit in a group with PSV Eindehoven, Manchester United and WFC Zhytlobud-1 Kharkiv. With a good manager and a strong squad, they are more than set for the run-in. They restarted their season at home against the bottom-of-the-table Alingsås IF on August 8.

Player to watch: Emilie Joramo

The newbies in third: Malmö FF

Malmö FF are decidedly the most interesting team in the Damallsvenskan this season. The newly promoted side are back in the top flight for the first time since 2007, under the name Malmö FF. That original Malmö side, who were one of the original Damallsvenskan teams, is now what we call Rosengård. Despite MFF being the most successful Swedish men’s team in history, they did not have a women’s division for 12 years, until 2019, when the owners decided to reinstate the women’s team. They have won back to back to back promotions since being reinstated, from the fourth division until last season’s Elitettan.

This season, the road for Malmö has been quite smooth. An opening day win over Häcken started them back in the topflight on stead. They also drew 1-1 with Hammarby in the spring season, after an 88-minute equaliser from Izzy D’Aquila. They also had a big win over fourth-place Djurgåden. For a newly promoted side, the spring season demonstrated how good signings and investment can and will get you far in the league.

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The autumn season will be considerably easier on Malmö than those above them in the table. They will not have to play extra games in the form of the UWCL and can focus on cementing a good finish come November. The side have also made a number of WSL signings this summer transfer window to bolster the squad. Danish international Karoline Olesen joined from Everton, Swedish international Zećira Mušović joined from Chelsea and Australian international Coutrney Nevin joined from Leicester City. It is also interesting to note all were free transfers after the expiration of their contracts in England. A Malmö derby awaits Malmö and their new signings in the first game back, as they travel just 2.5km to face city rivals Rosengård.

Player to watch: Karoline Olesen

Middle of the pack: Rosengård

Last year’s title winners have not exactly had the easiest time in the Damallsvenskan this season. After losing a large number of the squad in the winter transfer window, the side have struggled to reignite what won them the title. The side won five games in the spring season, drew two and lost another five. They have also only scored 14 goals and conceded 15, six more goals than their entire campaign in 2024. They were also dramatically dumped out of the Svenska Cupen at the semi-final stage, with a 5-0 thrashing by Hammarby.

The plus side for Rosengård is that they did take points from sides above them in the table in the spring. They drew 2-2 against Djurgåden. However, they also lost to bottom-of-the-table Alingsås 1-0, despite the opposition going down to 10 players in the game. The side has seen some movement in the summer transfer window. Norwegian international Emilie Woldvik departed the side after signing for Italian side Fiorentina. The full-back only joined Rosengård this season, but her contract was bought out by the Italian side. The side did make a signing of their own. Elli Pikkujämsä joined from NWSL side Racing Louisville, after two years in America and a knee injury.

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As league winners last year, UWCL qualifiers also await Rosengård in the autumn. It remains unknown how they will do, but it is clear the side struggled in the spring, and the extra games might be the tipping point. All in all, the side will hope to finish as high in the table as they can. Bouncing back from a hard first half of the season will be mandatory if they want to keep up with the momentum they built last season.

Rosengård host Malmö FF in the first game back on August 8, in the first city derby of the Damallsvenskan season.

Player to watch: Oona Sevenius

Battling to stay up: Linköping

In recent years, Linköping have struggled, and slipped from where they once were. The side finished in the top three as recently as the 2023 season but dramatically fell to ninth last season. They finished the spring season in the second relegation spot, with just five points and one single win.

One of the most well-known Swedish sides, Linköping, first joined the Damallsvenskan in 2004, one year after its inception. They have won three league titles and five Svenska Cupens since then, but have not lifted silverware since 2017. Most well known for their squad that consisted of Magdalena Eriksson, Pernille Harder and Fridolina Rolfö, they are the only side in the Damallsvenskan not affiliated with a men’s team. (Alingsås’ men’s team plays in the fourth division of the men’s leagues.)

Two big news stories struck the side this summer. Captain and long-time veteran for the side, Emma Lennartsson hung up her boots at the end of the spring season. The centre-back was at the club for 13 seasons and played 250 games. Her departure was quickly met by the appointment of a new head coach. Willie Kirk was named the new manager of the side in July. He was previously the head coach of Leicester City in the WSL, and the appointment marks his first job outside of England.

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As it stands, Linköping are six points off Växjö, who sit in the relegation play-off place. The side will be desperate to do what they can in the autumn season to keep themselves in the top flight for another season. It won’t be easy, but one can only hope a team with such pedigree in this league can stay up for another season. Linköping will host the side at the restart on August 8.

Player to watch: Lilli Halttunen

One of Europe’s most interesting leagues starts again on August 8 and promises to deliver some of the best and most interesting football in the game. With five teams with five points apiece at the break, who will lift the league title come November?

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