IFK Göteborg–Malmö FF rivalry

Although not technically a derby, the fixture between IFK Göteborg and Malmö FF is one of the fiercest sporting rivalries in Swedish football, sometimes referred to as the "Mesta mästarmötet" (English: Clash of the greatest champions).^[1]

Mesta Mästarmötet

IFK Göteborg and Malmö FF in the 2022 Allsvenskan
Location	Gothenburg and Malmö
Teams	IFK Göteborg Malmö FF
First meeting	18 June 1922 Svenska Serien IFK Göteborg 5–0 Malmö FF
Latest meeting	16 March 2025 Svenska Cupen Malmö FF 3–2 IFK Göteborg
Next meeting	25 May 2025 Allsvenskan IFK Göteborg - Malmö FF
Statistics
Meetings total	Competitive: 189
Most wins	Malmö FF (82)
All-time series	IFK Göteborg: 65 Drawn: 42 Malmö FF: 82
Largest victory	11 September 1949 Allsvenskan IFK Göteborg 2–9 Malmö FF

The two clubs are the most successful in Swedish football; Malmö FF have won 24 Swedish championship titles, an all time Swedish record, while IFK Göteborg have won 18 titles.^[2]

The two clubs top the All-time Allsvenskan table with Malmö FF being 174 points ahead of IFK Göteborg after the conclusion of the 2023 season.^[3] Together they have won 42 Swedish championships, 40 Allsvenskan titles and 24 Svenska Cupen titles. Only AIK have played more seasons in Allsvenskan than the two clubs.

The two clubs are also the only Swedish clubs to have reached the final of European competition, IFK Göteborg won the UEFA Cup in 1981–82 and again in 1986–87 while Malmö FF were runners-up in the 1978–79 European Cup.^[4][5][6]

Shared player history

Transfers

The two lists are incomplete.

There have been few direct transfers between the rivals, the most recent transfer was on 12 January 2018.

Date	Name	From	To
22 January 2003[7]	Jon Inge Høiland	IFK Göteborg	Malmö FF
17 November 2003[8]	Peter Ijeh	Malmö FF	IFK Göteborg
14 July 2005[9]	Thomas Olsson	Malmö FF	IFK Göteborg
12 January 2018[10]	Søren Rieks	IFK Göteborg	Malmö FF

There have also been a few players who have played for both clubs although transferred via another club.

Name	From	Period	Via	To	Period
Robert Prytz	Malmö FF	1977–1982 1993–1995	Rangers	IFK Göteborg	1985–1986
Dan Corneliusson	IFK Göteborg	1978–1983	Stuttgart Como FC Wettingen	Malmö FF	1990–1992
Joakim Persson	Malmö FF	1992–1996	Atalanta	IFK Göteborg	1998–1999
Mats Lilienberg	IFK Göteborg	1995–1996	Halmstads BK	Malmö FF	2000–2002
Mathias Ranégie	IFK Göteborg	2007–2008	BK Häcken Go Ahead Eagles	Malmö FF	2011–2012
Tobias Sana	IFK Göteborg	2009–2012 2019–2022	Ajax	Malmö FF	2015–2017
Simon Thern	Malmö FF	2012–2014	Heerenveen AIK IFK Norrköping	IFK Göteborg	2021-2023

Played for one, managed the other

Manager	Played for		Managed
	Team	Span	Team	Span
Roland Nilsson	IFK Göteborg	1983–1989	Malmö FF	2008–2011
Michael Andersson	IFK Göteborg	1986–1988	Malmö FF	2000–2001

Managed both clubs

Manager	IFK Göteborg career						Malmö FF career
	Span	G1	W	D	L	Win %	Span	G1	W	D	L	Win %
Josef Stroh	1959–1960	33	18	6	9	054.5	1955–1958	87	44	21	22	050.6
Roland Nilsson	2020–2021	23	7	10	6	030.4	2008–2011	109	54	24	31	049.5

¹ Only competitive matches are counted.

Statistics

	IFK Göteborg wins	Draws	Malmö FF wins
League	63	42	72
Svenska Cupen	2	0	9
Svenska Supercupen	0	0	1
Total	65	42	82

Table correct as of 16 March 2025

Last five head-to-head fixtures

Date	Home Team	Score	Away Team	Venue	Competition
3 September 2023	Malmö FF	2–2	IFK Göteborg	Stadion	Allsvenskan
13 May 2024	IFK Göteborg	0–3	Malmö FF	Gamla Ullevi	Allsvenskan
28 October 2024	Malmö FF	2–1	IFK Göteborg	Stadion	Allsvenskan
16 March 2025	Malmö FF	3–2 (a.e.t.)	IFK Göteborg	Stadion	Svenska Cupen
25 May 2025	IFK Göteborg	1–0	Malmö FF	Gamla Ullevi	Allsvenskan

Honours

Team	Allsvenskan	Svenska Cupen	Supercupen	Total
Malmö FF	27	16	2	45
IFK Göteborg	13	8	1	22
Combined	40	24	3	67

Table correct as of 16 March 2025

All-time results

IFK Göteborg in the league at home Date Venue Attendance Score Competition 18 June 1922 Gamla Ullevi 3,321 5–0 Svenska Serien 1 May 1932 Gamla Ullevi 11,573 6–1 Allsvenskan 11 September 1932 Gamla Ullevi 7,869 7–2 Allsvenskan 3 September 1933 Gamla Ullevi 7,258 5–0 Allsvenskan 15 November 1936 Gamla Ullevi 9,540 2–1 Allsvenskan 24 October 1937 Gamla Ullevi 5,507 1–2 Allsvenskan 12 November 1939 Gamla Ullevi 6,729 1–0 Allsvenskan 27 April 1941 Gamla Ullevi 7,597 0–0 Allsvenskan 3 May 1942 Gamla Ullevi 6,781 2–0 Allsvenskan 26 April 1943 Gamla Ullevi 11,173 1–1 Allsvenskan 5 September 1943 Gamla Ullevi 16,969 1–1 Allsvenskan 3 June 1945 Gamla Ullevi 6,865 0–6 Allsvenskan 2 September 1945 Gamla Ullevi 18,601 3–1 Allsvenskan 4 August 1946 Gamla Ullevi 18,474 0–0 Allsvenskan 27 July 1947 Gamla Ullevi 13,221 3–0 Allsvenskan 29 August 1948 Gamla Ullevi 20,596 4–4 Allsvenskan 11 September 1949 Gamla Ullevi 19,565 2–9 Allsvenskan 14 October 1951 Gamla Ullevi 28,902 2–1 Allsvenskan 16 November 1952 Gamla Ullevi 10,728 1–4 Allsvenskan 11 October 1953 Gamla Ullevi 17,688 1–0 Allsvenskan 1 August 1954 Gamla Ullevi 16,604 0–1 Allsvenskan 23 October 1955 Gamla Ullevi 27,871 1–1 Allsvenskan 2 September 1956 Gamla Ullevi 25,943 5–3 Allsvenskan 8 August 1957 Gamla Ullevi 16,321 2–5 Allsvenskan 3 May 1959 Gamla Ullevi 22,629 3–1 Allsvenskan 22 May 1960 Ullevi 19,701 1–1 Allsvenskan 8 October 1961 Ullevi 9,777 2–3 Allsvenskan 26 August 1962 Ullevi 16,740 1–2 Allsvenskan 18 August 1963 Ullevi 11,465 1–2 Allsvenskan 14 June 1964 Ullevi 12,326 2–6 Allsvenskan 11 May 1965 Ullevi 19,797 2–2 Allsvenskan 26 May 1966 Ullevi 10,767 0–0 Allsvenskan 20 April 1967 Ullevi 9,999 4–2 Allsvenskan 29 September 1968 Ullevi 11,599 2–3 Allsvenskan 21 September 1969 Ullevi 27,241 3–1 Allsvenskan 3 May 1970 Ullevi 17,875 1–2 Allsvenskan 19 September 1977 Ullevi 28,816 0–1 Allsvenskan 4 May 1978 Ullevi 30,569 0–1 Allsvenskan 13 September 1979 Ullevi 19,731 1–1 Allsvenskan 14 September 1980 Ullevi 11,544 0–0 Allsvenskan 5 August 1981 Ullevi 14,367 4–1 Allsvenskan 2 September 1982 Ullevi 5,971 1–1 Allsvenskan 24 October 1982 Ullevi 5,893 5–1 Allsvenskan play-offs (SF, leg 2) 10 September 1983 Ullevi 10,613 6–1 Allsvenskan 13 May 1984 Ullevi 10,725 1–1 Allsvenskan 3 July 1985 Ullevi 16,157 0–1 Allsvenskan 20 October 1985 Ullevi 26,771 2–1 Allsvenskan play-offs (SF, leg 1) 5 October 1986 Ullevi 9,501 0–1 Allsvenskan 22 August 1987 Ullevi 10,782 1–2 Allsvenskan 24 October 1987 Ullevi 14,811 1–0 Allsvenskan play-offs (Final, leg 1) 29 May 1988 Ullevi 9,876 1–3 Allsvenskan 16 April 1989 Ullevi 4,795 1–1 Allsvenskan 30 July 1990 Ullevi 6,330 0–0 Allsvenskan 11 August 1991 Ullevi 5,056 0–0 Allsvenskan 6 October 1991 Ullevi 3,833 0–1 Mästerskapsserien 5 April 1992 Gamla Ullevi 9,023 3–0 Allsvenskan 17 October 1992 Gamla Ullevi 1,676 2–0 Mästerskapsserien 2 October 1993 Gamla Ullevi 7,035 5–1 Allsvenskan 9 May 1994 Gamla Ullevi 8,554 3–4 Allsvenskan 17 September 1995 Gamla Ullevi 10,918 2–1 Allsvenskan 21 April 1996 Gamla Ullevi 11,657 0–0 Allsvenskan 28 June 1997 Gamla Ullevi 10,091 1–1 Allsvenskan 4 June 1998 Gamla Ullevi 6,456 1–0 Allsvenskan 2 August 1999 Gamla Ullevi 8,555 1–0 Allsvenskan 17 September 2001 Gamla Ullevi 9,089 4–0 Allsvenskan 23 July 2002 Gamla Ullevi 10,471 0–4 Allsvenskan 14 April 2003 Gamla Ullevi 11,906 3–0 Allsvenskan 25 October 2004 Ullevi 38,983 1–2 Allsvenskan 26 September 2005 Ullevi 15,253 2–1 Allsvenskan 14 May 2006 Gamla Ullevi 10,517 1–0 Allsvenskan 2 July 2007 Ullevi 11,270 1–2 Allsvenskan 2 August 2008 Ullevi 8,015 2–0 Allsvenskan 25 May 2009 Gamla Ullevi 15,267 2–0 Allsvenskan 29 April 2010 Gamla Ullevi 11,206 0–2 Allsvenskan 11 September 2011 Gamla Ullevi 11,640 0–0 Allsvenskan 14 May 2012 Gamla Ullevi 12,549 2–2 Allsvenskan 25 April 2013 Gamla Ullevi 17,063 1–1 Allsvenskan 7 April 2014 Gamla Ullevi 17,073 0–3 Allsvenskan 12 April 2015 Gamla Ullevi 16,894 0–1 Allsvenskan 27 April 2016 Gamla Ullevi 15,748 0–31 Allsvenskan 1 April 2017 Ullevi 32,129 1–1 Allsvenskan 4 November 2018 Gamla Ullevi 13,073 0–3 Allsvenskan 16 May 2019 Gamla Ullevi 17,083 0–0 Allsvenskan 2 August 2020 Gamla Ullevi 02 0–3 Allsvenskan 7 November 2021 Gamla Ullevi 16,781 0–2 Allsvenskan 17 October 2022 Gamla Ullevi 14,011 2–1 Allsvenskan 17 April 2023 Gamla Ullevi 17,051 0–1 Allsvenskan 13 May 2024 Gamla Ullevi 17,316 0–3 Allsvenskan IFK Göteborg wins Malmö FF wins Draws 33 32 23

Malmö FF in the league at home Date Venue Attendance Score Competition 29 October 1922 Malmö IP 961 0–1 Svenska Serien 2 August 1931 Malmö IP 6,236 0–1 Allsvenskan 28 August 1932 Malmö IP 6,648 0–5 Allsvenskan 15 October 1933 Malmö IP 7,834 1–3 Allsvenskan 4 April 1937 Malmö IP 6,790 5–4 Allsvenskan 10 October 1937 Malmö IP 7,917 2–0 Allsvenskan 3 September 1939 Malmö IP 4,914 1–1 Allsvenskan 4 August 1940 Malmö IP 8,434 3–3 Allsvenskan 14 June 1942 Malmö IP 11,596 2–0 Allsvenskan 18 October 1942 Malmö IP 6,795 0–0 Allsvenskan 21 May 1944 Malmö IP 14,007 3–1 Allsvenskan 30 July 1944 Malmö IP 13,112 4–0 Allsvenskan 26 May 1946 Malmö IP 13,297 1–1 Allsvenskan 15 May 1947 Malmö IP 7,791 6–0 Allsvenskan 18 April 1948 Malmö IP 14,750 4–3 Allsvenskan 24 April 1949 Malmö IP 17,319 3–1 Allsvenskan 4 June 1950 Malmö IP 15,473 6–3 Allsvenskan 4 May 1952 Malmö IP 13,005 2–1 Allsvenskan 12 April 1953 Malmö IP 14,734 1–0 Allsvenskan 25 October 1953 Malmö IP 14,478 0–2 Allsvenskan 10 June 1955 Malmö IP 13,001 0–2 Allsvenskan 15 April 1956 Malmö IP 15,396 5–0 Allsvenskan 14 April 1957 Malmö IP 13,070 2–0 Allsvenskan 15 August 1957 Malmö IP 11,704 1–2 Allsvenskan 21 September 1958 Malmö Stadion 10,691 5–3 Allsvenskan 27 September 1959 Malmö Stadion 19,259 2–3 Allsvenskan 2 October 1960 Malmö Stadion 5,951 3–1 Allsvenskan 23 April 1961 Malmö Stadion 13,326 0–3 Allsvenskan 31 May 1962 Malmö Stadion 6,319 1–1 Allsvenskan 25 April 1963 Malmö Stadion 9,667 1–1 Allsvenskan 6 August 1964 Malmö Stadion 12,773 3–0 Allsvenskan 24 October 1965 Malmö Stadion 25,009 3–0 Allsvenskan 4 September 1966 Malmö Stadion 6,985 1–2 Allsvenskan 22 October 1967 Malmö Stadion 11,150 2–2 Allsvenskan 5 May 1968 Malmö Stadion 12,261 1–1 Allsvenskan 29 May 1969 Malmö Stadion 17,381 1–0 Allsvenskan 11 October 1970 Malmö Stadion 12,643 2–0 Allsvenskan 22 June 1977 Malmö Stadion 24,130 1–0 Allsvenskan 22 October 1978 Malmö Stadion 6,494 1–0 Allsvenskan 21 June 1979 Malmö Stadion 9,085 0–4 Allsvenskan 11 June 1980 Malmö Stadion 15,360 2–2 Allsvenskan 10 May 1981 Malmö Stadion 10,843 0–2 Allsvenskan 6 June 1982 Malmö Stadion 20,506 1–1 Allsvenskan 17 October 1982 Malmö Stadion 5,606 0–3 Allsvenskan play-offs (SF, leg 1) 2 June 1983 Malmö Stadion 22,015 3–2 Allsvenskan 26 August 1984 Malmö Stadion 15,781 0–1 Allsvenskan 12 May 1985 Malmö Stadion 16,200 2–1 Allsvenskan 27 October 1985 Malmö Stadion 18,627 0–2 Allsvenskan play-offs (SF, leg 2) 27 April 1986 Malmö Stadion 13,349 1–1 Allsvenskan 16 August 1987 Malmö Stadion 19,226 2–1 Allsvenskan 31 October 1987 Malmö Stadion 18,811 2–1 Allsvenskan play-offs (Final, leg 2) 9 October 1988 Malmö Stadion 4,717 1–3 Allsvenskan 20 August 1989 Malmö Stadion 6,933 3–0 Allsvenskan 23 September 1990 Malmö Stadion 3,890 0–2 Allsvenskan 7 April 1991 Malmö Stadion 7,131 1–1 Allsvenskan 1 September 1991 Malmö Stadion 6,512 1–2 Mästerskapsserien 29 June 1992 Malmö Stadion 6,223 1–0 Allsvenskan 16 August 1992 Malmö Stadion 4,017 2–1 Mästerskapsserien 24 April 1993 Malmö Stadion 4,948 0–1 Allsvenskan 23 October 1994 Malmö Stadion 25,531 1–2 Allsvenskan 18 May 1995 Malmö Stadion 7,050 1–1 Allsvenskan 15 September 1996 Malmö Stadion 7,800 1–3 Allsvenskan 21 July 1997 Malmö Stadion 13,597 1–1 Allsvenskan 1 August 1998 Malmö Stadion 7,105 3–1 Allsvenskan 22 June 1999 Malmö Stadion 12,975 1–1 Allsvenskan 14 May 2001 Malmö Stadion 12,109 0–6 Allsvenskan 15 September 2002 Malmö Stadion 11,972 4–2 Allsvenskan 19 October 2003 Malmö Stadion 17,923 1–3 Allsvenskan 24 April 2004 Malmö Stadion 26,426 1–0 Allsvenskan 10 April 2005 Malmö Stadion 26,504 1–2 Allsvenskan 30 October 2006 Malmö Stadion 9,514 2–1 Allsvenskan 6 October 2007 Malmö Stadion 11,219 0–2 Allsvenskan 31 March 2008 Malmö Stadion 18,884 1–1 Allsvenskan 19 October 2009 Stadion 18,293 0–1 Allsvenskan 26 September 2010 Stadion 18,125 2–1 Allsvenskan 2 May 2011 Stadion 17,221 0–2 Allsvenskan 27 September 2012 Stadion 15,109 1–2 Allsvenskan 25 August 2013 Stadion 23,142 3–1 Allsvenskan 10 August 2014 Stadion 18,838 2–2 Allsvenskan 9 August 2015 Stadion 21,127 2–1 Allsvenskan 12 September 2016 Stadion 21,273 3–1 Allsvenskan 27 August 2017 Stadion 21,354 2–2 Allsvenskan 7 May 2018 Stadion 17,715 1–2 Allsvenskan 6 October 2019 Stadion 18,473 1–0 Allsvenskan 25 October 2020 Stadion 02 3–1 Allsvenskan 14 August 2021 Stadion 5,6523 2–3 Allsvenskan 25 April 2022 Stadion 19,785 1–0 Allsvenskan 3 September 2023 Stadion 20,907 2–2 Allsvenskan 28 October 2024 Stadion 21,258 2–1 Allsvenskan Malmö FF wins IFK Göteborg wins Draws 40 30 19

¹ Awarded 0-3 after the original match had been suspended with the score at a 0–0 as a result of a spectator scandal.^[11]
2 The match was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden.
³ The match was played with limited capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden.

Results at home in Cup matches

Date	Venue	Attendance	Matches			Competition
			Team 1	Score	Team 2
28 June 1970	Malmö Stadion	3,611	Malmö FF	2–1	IFK Göteborg	Svenska Cupen (preliminary round)
8 November 1975	Malmö Stadion	2,799	Malmö FF	2–1 (a.e.t)	IFK Göteborg	Svenska Cupen (quarter-final)
29 October 1977	Ullevi	11,997	IFK Göteborg	2–3 (a.e.t)	Malmö FF	Svenska Cupen (round 6)
9 May 1984	Malmö Stadion	8,833	Malmö FF	4–1	IFK Göteborg	Svenska Cupen (quarter-final)
7 June 1989	Ullevi	4,411	IFK Göteborg	0–2	Malmö FF	Svenska Cupen (semi-final)
6 May 1999	Malmö Stadion	4,676	Malmö FF	1–2 (g.g)	IFK Göteborg	Svenska Cupen (semi-final)
27 April 2001	Gamla Ullevi	5,528	IFK Göteborg	1–2	Malmö FF	Svenska Cupen (quarter-final)
10 November 2013	Stadion	2,787	Malmö FF	3–2	IFK Göteborg	Svenska Supercupen
10 March 2018	Malmö IP	4,135	Malmö FF	1–0	IFK Göteborg	Svenska Cupen (quarter-final)
30 July 2020	Gamla Ullevi	01	IFK Göteborg	2–1 (a.e.t)	Malmö FF	Svenska Cupen (Final)
16 March 2025	Stadion	20,742	Malmö FF	3–2 (a.e.t)	IFK Göteborg	Svenska Cupen (semi-final)

Malmö FF wins	IFK Göteborg wins
9	2

¹ The match was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Sweden.

Results at neutral venues

Date	Venue	Attendance	Matches			Competition
			Team 1	Score	Team 2
2 July 1986	Råsunda	11,656	Malmö FF	2–1	IFK Göteborg	Svenska Cupen (Final)

Malmö FF wins	IFK Göteborg wins
1	0