| Season | 1981 | 
|---|---|
| Dates | 24 April – 18 October | 
| Champions | Vålerengen 2nd title | 
| Relegated | Brann Haugar Lyn | 
| European Cup | Vålerengen | 
| Cup Winners' Cup | Lillestrøm | 
| UEFA Cup | Viking | 
| Matches played | 132 | 
| Goals scored | 367 (2.78 per match) | 
| Top goalscorer | Pål Jacobsen (16 goals) | 
| Biggest home win | Fredrikstad 6–0 Brann (23 August 1981) | 
| Biggest away win | Haugar 0–6 Fredrikstad (17 August 1981) | 
| Highest scoring | Viking 5–3 Start (18 October 1981) | 
| Longest winning run | Brann Fredrikstad Rosenborg Viking Vålerengen (3 games) | 
| Longest unbeaten run | Fredrikstad Moss Rosenborg (9 games) | 
| Longest winless run | Haugar (9 games) | 
| Longest losing run | Brann HamKam Lyn (6 games) | 
| Highest attendance | 21,377 Rosenborg 2–2 Vålerengen (29 June 1981) | 
| Lowest attendance | 1,085 Lyn 1–2 Bryne (27 September 1981) | 
| Average attendance | 5,880  15.6% | 
| ← 1980  1982 →  | |
The 1981 1. divisjon was the 37th completed season of top division football in Norway.
Overview
22 games were played with 2 points given for wins and 1 for draws. Number eleven and twelve were relegated. The winners of the two groups of the Second Division were promoted, as well as the winner of a series of play-off matches between number ten in the 1. divisjon and the two second-placed teams in the two groups of the 2. divisjon.
Vålerengen won the championship, their second league title.
Teams and locations
- Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.
| Team | Ap. | Location | Stadium | 
|---|---|---|---|
| Brann | 28 | Bergen | Brann Stadion | 
| Bryne | 6 | Bryne | Bryne Stadion | 
| Fredrikstad | 32 | Fredrikstad | Fredrikstad Stadion | 
| Hamarkameratene | 10 | Hamar | Briskeby | 
| Haugar | 1 | Haugesund | Sakkestadbanen | 
| Lillestrøm | 18 | Lillestrøm | Åråsen Stadion | 
| Lyn | 23 | Oslo | Ullevaal Stadion | 
| Moss | 8 | Moss | Melløs Stadion | 
| Rosenborg | 18 | Trondheim | Lerkendal Stadion | 
| Start | 14 | Kristiansand | Kristiansand Stadion | 
| Vålerengen | 26 | Oslo | Bislett Stadion | 
| Viking | 34 | Stavanger | Stavanger Stadion | 
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vålerengen (C) | 22 | 9 | 11 | 2 | 44 | 27 | +17 | 29 | Qualification for the European Cup preliminary round | 
| 2 | Viking | 22 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 32 | 30 | +2 | 28 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round | 
| 3 | Rosenborg | 22 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 35 | 24 | +11 | 26 | |
| 4 | Fredrikstad | 22 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 45 | 26 | +19 | 25 | |
| 5 | Moss | 22 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 27 | 27 | 0 | 24 | |
| 6 | Hamarkameratene | 22 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 25 | 21 | +4 | 22 | |
| 7 | Lillestrøm | 22 | 6 | 10 | 6 | 26 | 25 | +1 | 22 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round | 
| 8 | Start | 22 | 8 | 5 | 9 | 36 | 38 | −2 | 21 | |
| 9 | Bryne | 22 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 29 | 34 | −5 | 21 | |
| 10 | Brann (R) | 22 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 26 | 40 | −14 | 17 | Qualification for the relegation play-offs | 
| 11 | Haugar (R) | 22 | 2 | 12 | 8 | 20 | 38 | −18 | 16 | Relegation to Second Division | 
| 12 | Lyn (R) | 22 | 4 | 5 | 13 | 22 | 37 | −15 | 13 | 
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Results
Relegation play-offs
The qualification play-off matches were contested between Brann (10th in the 1. divisjon), Pors (2nd in the Second Division – Group A), and Molde (2nd in the 2. divisjon – Group B). Molde won on goal difference and were promoted to the 1. divisjon.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Molde (O, P) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 2 | Promotion to First Division | 
| 2 | Brann (R) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Relegation to Second Division | 
| 3 | Pors | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 2 | Remained in Second Division | 
- Results
- Molde 3–1 Pors
- Pors 2–1 Brann
- Brann 1–0 Molde
Season statistics
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals | 
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Pål Jacobsen | Vålerengen | 16 | 
| 2 |  Svein Mathisen | Start | 12 | 
| 3 |  Bernt Mæland | Bryne | 9 | 
|  Odd Iversen | Rosenborg | ||
|  Vidar Hansen | Fredrikstad | ||
|  Per Egil Ahlsen | Fredrikstad | ||
|  Geir Henæs | Moss | ||
| 8 |  Morten Haugen | Vålerengen | 7 | 
|  Ingvar Dalhaug | Brann | ||
|  Peter Osborne | Haugar | ||
|  Tor Arne Granerud | Ham-Kam | ||
|  Kjell Ødegaard | Lyn | 
Attendances
| Pos | Team | Total | High | Low | Average | Change | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rosenborg | 143,752 | 21,377 | 8,000 | 13,068 | +36.9% | 
| 2 | Vålerengen | 112,739 | 16,589 | 4,958 | 10,249 | +56.7% | 
| 3 | Viking | 85,013 | 12,855 | 5,482 | 7,728 | −9.2% | 
| 4 | Brann | 84,528 | 11,734 | 4,990 | 7,684 | n/a2 | 
| 5 | Moss | 55,397 | 8,961 | 3,423 | 5,036 | −2.3% | 
| 6 | Fredrikstad | 52,460 | 7,093 | 3,041 | 4,769 | −5.6% | 
| 7 | Bryne | 46,860 | 9,601 | 1,943 | 4,260 | −18.1% | 
| 8 | Lillestrøm | 45,736 | 10,230 | 1,904 | 4,158 | −3.4% | 
| 9 | Start | 45,621 | 7,571 | 1,182 | 4,147 | −25.8% | 
| 10 | HamKam | 39,533 | 6,300 | 2,111 | 3,594 | n/a2 | 
| 11 | Haugar | 33,670 | 5,112 | 1,570 | 3,061 | n/a2 | 
| 12 | Lyn | 30,882 | 9,699 | 1,085 | 2,807 | +62.4% | 
| League total | 776,191 | 21,377 | 1,085 | 5,880 | +15.6% | 
Source: nifs.no
Notes:
2: Team played last season in 2. divisjon.
