Idd SK (Norway)

Idd Sportsklubb is a sports club specialising in football and skiing, founded on May 8th, 1928, in the small parish of Idd, located four miles south of the town of Halden in Norway’s southern region of Østfold.

The football side plays in the lower reaches of the Norwegian football pyramid, having competed in local competition for several decades before joining the league system. The football team was led by head coach John Erik Strøm in 2008.

By 2011, Idd was playing in the 5. Divisjon Østfold Avdeling I; one of forty-three regional leagues in the sixth tier, where they ended in ninth place. They slipped to eleventh the following year in Avdeling 2 and were relegated.

Promotion was sealed in 2013 with a runners-up spot from the seventh-tier Østfold Fotballkrets I; one of thirty-nine leagues at that level for the season, under the leadership of Svend Egil Torp and Arild Johansen. The following year, the side came close to going up once again after a third-place finish, which was backed up with sixth in 2015.

Idd improved to finish fourth in the Østfold Fotballkrets II sixth-tier season of 2016 before going up to 4. Divisjon Østfold Avdeling I after a runners-up spot was achieved before consolidating in tenth place at the higher level in 2018.

The side from the Risum Kunstgress home base between Idd and Halden ended in thirteenth spot, which led to relegation in 2019. Third place was achieved in the 2022 league season, which was repeated a year later, around the time that Adrian Overvik arrived as head coach.

The new man led Idd to the league title in 2024 and promotion to the fifth-tier 4. Divisjon Østfold, where the side consolidated its place.

Idd SK will play in the 4. Divisjon Østfold in the 2026 season. 

My visit

Saturday 10th August 2019

I was over in Norway with the family to attend a belated party to celebrate the fiftieth birthday of my middle brother, Paul. To be honest, I was nowhere near my best, suffering severely from burnout. It was a shame as Halden is such a wonderful place and I was with lovely company.

I had naturally checked out the football fixtures and noticed that Idd were at home on the Friday evening against Sarpsborg FK. However, it was time to fit in with others as we were transported to a beautiful cottage in the coastal village of Sponvika.

We went for dinner while the match was on. The Italian meal and American vintage car festival were very good, even though it looks like I missed a 4-3 cracker of a game. However, I was still to get a look at the venue, but not how I expected.

Paul’s party had been organised by his good lady Ragnhild in the grounds of the stunning Fredriksten festning, the fortress overlooking the town. The food and drink were inside the candlelit ruins. I got a pleasant surprise when I went outside for some space.

Down the hill, there stood Risum Kunstgress, the home of Idd with its artificial pitch. The venue looked like a pretty basic affair with a rail around the pitch and all the facilities in the hall at the nearest end of the ground, with a school at the far end providing shelter. A match at the venue, as at Kviv Halden, would have to wait, but at least I got a look!