Knattspyrnufélagið Fram
Icelandic multi-sport club with 18 football titles.
Knattspyrnufélagið Fram is a professional multi-sport club from Iceland, most famous for its football and handball sides. It was founded on 1 May 1908 in Reykjavík. Until 2006, the club was based at Safamýri near the city centre, then gradually moved to Úlfarsárdalur in the Grafarholt district, completing the relocation by mid-2022. The men's football team plays in the top-tier Besta deild karla, having earned promotion in 2021. The women's football team also competes in the top division, the Besta deild kvenna, after moving up in 2024. Fram’s handball teams are strong; the men’s squad won both the Icelandic championship and cup in 2025. The club also offers taekwondo and skiing.
Quick Facts
- Club
- Fram Reykjavík
- Nickname
- Framarar, The Blues (Þeir Bláu)
- Founded
- 1 May 1908
- Ground
- Lambhagavöllur, Úlfarsárdal; Reykjavík, Iceland
- Capacity
- 1.650
- Season
- 2025
Facts from the source article.
Football
Fram is one of Iceland's most successful clubs, with eighteen national championship titles and seven national cup titles. The club dominated Icelandic football in the 1980s and early 1990s. After relegation from the top division in 2005, Fram returned in 2007 following one season in the second tier. Relegated again in 2014, they won the second tier in 2021 and returned to the first division in 2022. The women's team re-entered competition in 2010 after a hiatus since 1993. In 2017 Fram partnered with Afturelding for a joint team that played in the second tier in 2018. The partnership ended before 2019, and Fram fielded no women's team that year. They returned in 2020, finished seventh in the third tier, won the third tier in 2022, and earned promotion to the first division in 2024 by finishing second on goal difference. Fram finished 8th in the first division in 2025.
History
The club was established in spring 1908 by several boys around 13 years old living near Tjarnargata in central Reykjavík. One boy, Peter J. H. Magnusson, had bought a football that was used all summer. The first formal meeting took place on 15 March 1909. The club was initially called Kári before the name was changed to Fram. The first Icelandic championship was held in 1912, won by KR Reykjavík, with Fram finishing second. From 1913 to 1919 Fram was unbeatable, winning six consecutive league titles from 1913 through 1919. In 1913 Fram was the only entrant and won its first title. In 1914 three teams took part, with Valur entering for the first time, and Fram won again. After a draw against KR in the last match, KR protested, leading to a final match that Fram won 3–1. Fram remained unbeaten until 1919 and also won titles in 1921, 1922, 1923, and 1925. After the main striker Friðþjófur Thorsteinsson moved to Canada, no replacement emerged. From 1936 to 1939 Hermann Lindemann was successful but no title came, and he returned to Germany in 1939 against his wishes due to World War II. Fram had a strong team from 1946 to 1948 with Ríkharður Jónsson. In 1939, despite a goal difference of −1, Fram won the league.
European adventures
Fram has a long tradition in UEFA Cup and European Champions League competitions and remains the only Icelandic team to have played both Real Madrid C.F. and FC Barcelona. In 1971 Fram faced Hibernians F.C. from Malta, losing the first leg 3–0 but winning the second 2–0. In 1973 FC Basel won easily in both matches. In 1974 Fram traveled to Madrid for the European Cup, losing 6–0 at the Santiago Bernabéu; at Laugardalsvöllur the match was level until Real Madrid scored in the 74th minute and again in the last seconds. In 1976 Fram lost to Slovan Bratislava. In 1985 Fram defeated Glentoran F.C. and then lost narrowly to Rapid Vienna. In 1986 Fram lost to Katowice in a close tie. In 1987 Sparta Prague won 8–0 on aggregate. In 1988 FC Barcelona visited Iceland and secured a win only late in the match. In 1990 Fram beat Djurgårdens IF Fotboll 4–1 on aggregate, then faced Barcelona again, scoring first before Barcelona scored twice in the last ten minutes.
History of the shirts and its emblem
Fram has played in blue and white for almost 100 years, though the team originally wore white. For the first two years the kit was white shirt, white shorts, and blue socks; this changed to the familiar blue kit because many clubs in the same division as Ithrottafelag Reykjavikur also played in white. Fram currently wears Erreà shirts; the most famous shirt was the Adidas kit from the 1980s with a brighter blue. From 2000 to 2004 they wore Fila, and since 2004 they have used Erreà. The club crest, used since 1908, features a brownish football under the name, similar to pre-1900s European footballs, on a blue background. Three stars were added above the emblem to denote the eighteen championship titles won.
More in Football Clubs in Iceland
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced