AaB, (full name: Aalborg Boldspilklub, ) internationally referred to commonly as Aalborg BK, and occasionally referred to as AaB Aalborg, is a professional football club based in Aalborg, Denmark. The club currently competes in the Danish 1st Division, the second tier of Danish football. AaB is one of the oldest and most historically significant clubs in Danish football, having been founded on 13 May 1885. Initially formed as a cricket club by English railway engineers, the club adopted football in 1902 and has competed under the name Aalborg Boldspilklub af 1885 since 1906.
AaB has traditionally been a mainstay in the Danish top flight, and has won the Danish Superliga four times, in 1994âÂÂ95, 1998âÂÂ99, 2007âÂÂ08, and 2013âÂÂ14. The latter season remains the club's most successful, as AaB won the domestic double by securing both the league title and the Danish Cup. In total, the club has lifted the national cup three times. After a period of decline in the early 2020s, AaB was relegated from the top tier at the end of the 2022âÂÂ23 season for the first time in 36 years. The club secured immediate promotion in 2023âÂÂ24 but was relegated again the following season, returning to the Danish 1st Division for the 2025âÂÂ26 campaign.
On the European stage, AaB holds the distinction of being the first Danish club to reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, doing so in 1995âÂÂ96 after replacing Dynamo Kyiv, who were expelled for disciplinary reasons. The club later qualified directly for the group stage in 2008âÂÂ09, and remains one of Denmark's most frequent participants in the competition, second only to F.C. Copenhagen in appearances.
AaB was founded on 13 May 1885 by English engineers who were building Jutland's railway system, and the first years was concentrated on the game of cricket. It was initially named Aalborg Cricketklub (Aalborg Cricket club) but the name of the club was changed to Aalborg Boldklub (Aalborg ballclub) in 1899. Football was adopted on an amateur basis in 1902, and has since been the main sport, as the name was changed to the current Aalborg Boldspilklub af 1885 (Aalborg ballgameclub of 1885) in 1906.
Aalborg BK was part of the top-flight Danish leagues from the 1928âÂÂ29 season, until the relegation of the club in 1947. The club returned to the best league in 1963, and except from the years of 1972, 1978 and 1981âÂÂ1986, Aalborg BK has since been a part of the various editions of the Danish football championship. Despite its many years in the Danish championship, the club never won a championship title, but Aalborg BK won the Danish Cup competition in 1966 and 1970. Paid football was introduced in Denmark by the Danish Football Association in 1978. As Aalborg BK returned to the best Danish league, the club founded the professional branch of AaB A/S in 1987 to run a professional football team.
During the 1990s, AaB emerged as one of Denmark's leading clubs, winning its first two national championships. In the 1994âÂÂ95 season, under head coach Poul Erik Andreasen, the team secured the league title with forward Erik Bo Andersen finishing as the division's top scorer with 24 goals. Although the club was initially eliminated by Dynamo Kyiv in the qualifying rounds of the 1995âÂÂ96 UEFA Champions League, Dynamo were later expelled from the tournament due to a match-fixing scandal. As a result, AaB were reinstated and became the first Danish club to participate in the group stage of the Champions League. Competing in Group A, AaB earned a 2âÂÂ1 home victory over Panathinaikos and drew 2âÂÂ2 with Porto, but were eliminated after finishing third in the group. Following the campaign, Andersen transferred to Rangers in Scotland. His departure was offset by the emergence of Søren Frederiksen, who scored 17 goals in the 1998âÂÂ99 season as AaB claimed their second league title, this time under Swedish manager Hans Backe. That season also saw AaB return to Champions League qualification, where they were again drawn against Dynamo Kyiv. The Danish side lost the home leg 2âÂÂ1 and drew 2âÂÂ2 in Ukraine, with a late AaB goal controversially ruled not to have crossed the line, resulting in another early exit from the competition.
Following their domestic title in 1998âÂÂ99, AaB established themselves as a stable presence in the upper half of the Danish Superliga. The club secured a third-place finish in the 2006âÂÂ07 season, earning qualification for the 2007 UEFA Intertoto Cup. In the Intertoto Cup, AaB progressed past Finnish side FC Honka, advancing on the away goals rule after a 2âÂÂ2 draw in the away leg and a 1âÂÂ1 draw in Aalborg. In the third and final round, they faced Belgian club Gent, drawing 1âÂÂ1 away and winning 2âÂÂ1 at home to secure a place in the second qualifying round of the 2007âÂÂ08 UEFA Cup. In the UEFA Cup qualifiers, AaB were drawn against Finnish champions HJK Helsinki. After a 2âÂÂ1 defeat in the first leg in Helsinki, AaB responded with a 3âÂÂ0 victory in the return leg at home, advancing to the first round proper. There, they were paired with Italian side Sampdoria, who featured high-profile players such as Antonio Cassano and Vincenzo Montella. Despite the challenge, AaB advanced on away goals, drawing 2âÂÂ2 in Genoa and holding Sampdoria to a 0âÂÂ0 draw in AalborgâÂÂbecoming the first Danish club to eliminate an Italian team from European competition. In the group stage, AaB were seeded in the lowest pot and drawn into a challenging group alongside Anderlecht, Tottenham Hotspur, Getafe, and Hapoel Tel Aviv. They opened with a home draw against Anderlecht, followed by a narrow 3âÂÂ2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in London after having led 2âÂÂ0 at half-time. A subsequent 2âÂÂ1 home loss to Getafe left AaB unable to progress to the knockout stage.
In the 2007âÂÂ08 season, Aalborg won their third Danish Championship and qualified for the 2008âÂÂ09 UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds. in the second qualifying round, Aalborg easily eliminated FK ModriÃÂa 7âÂÂ1 on aggregate. In the third round, before the group stage, they defeated FBK Kaunas 2âÂÂ0 both at home and away and reached the group stage of the Champions League for the second time, the first time a Danish team achieved this. In the group stage, they were drawn in Group E along with defending champions Manchester United, Villarreal and Celtic. Aalborg finished third in the group, ahead of Celtic, with 6 points and progressed to the 2008âÂÂ09 UEFA Cup knockout stage.
Their first match in their UEFA Cup run was against Spanish side Deportivo de La Coruña. Aalborg BK won the first leg at home 3âÂÂ0 and the second leg at the Estadio Riazor 1âÂÂ3, securing a 6âÂÂ1 aggregate. Aalborg BK thereby earned a place among the last 16 teams. where they faced Manchester City. After a 2âÂÂ0 loss in Manchester in the first leg Aalborg BK fought back to tie the score with a 2âÂÂ0 win at home. The tie ended in agony however, as Aalborg were defeated by 4âÂÂ3 on penalties.
On 11 May 2014, the club won their 4th Danish Championship, and four days later the double was secured, as the club defeated F.C. Copenhagen 4âÂÂ2 in the Cup final.
On 3 June 2023, AaB suffered relegation to Danish 1st Division for the first time since 1986 and the first after the establishment of the Danish Superliga in 1991, due to finishing in last place.
Since 1920, Aalborg BK has played its games at Aalborg Stadion. The stadium was opened on 18 July 1920 with a northâÂÂsouth aligned playing field. The first spectator seats were built in 1927, and in 1937 a wooden terrace for 3,000 standing spectators was built. In 1960, the stadium burned down and a new east-western aligned concrete stadium was opened in 1962. In recent years the stadium has been enlarged and rebuilt so that it now has modern facilities and roof over all spectator stands. The stadium currently has a capacity of 13,997 people (8,997 seats) or 10,500 people (all seats).
Aalborg BK's official fanclub is AaB Support Club. Formed in 1990, it is one of the oldest fanclubs in Denmark. Aalborg BK's fan-culture is thriving, with both official and unofficial groups like Auxilia Ultras, AaB Tifo Kaos and Generationen offering fanatical support at all games home and away. All fan groups for Aalborg BK, both official and unofficial also work together under the name "Vesttribunen" (The Western-Stand), in reference to the tribune where the active fans stand. Some Ultras of Aalborg BK have a friendship with those of Hammarby IF and SK Brann.
AaB's traditional rivals are AGF with whom they contest "Den Jyske Klassiker" (The Jutland Classic), a match between the two largest cities and most popular clubs in Jylland. The rivalry was most prominent in the 70's, 80's and 90's and has since declined in tension due to both clubs starting to see FC Copenhagen and Brøndby IF as greater rivals. The creation of Randers FC also saw a new local-rivalry for AGF which eased the tension with AaB as AGF developed a new and very intense rivalry with Randers FC. The Jutland Classic is however still considered one of the biggest games in Danish football, and the history and rivalry between the two clubs shows on matchday with massive crowds, bold chanting and fanatical support between both sets of fans. The fans of both clubs still considers it one of the biggest and most important games of the season.
12 â Torben Boye, defender (1984âÂÂ2001)
AaB Fodbold is owned by AaB A/S.
The following managers have coached AaB since it re-entered the Danish top-flight in 1986:
Some matches is regular seasons were played as knockout matches, as a result these are shown in the regular league columns instead of the cup column and with position replaced with win/loss.