Piteå IF will play in the Damallsvenskan in 2027 after securing their top-flight status on Saturday, according to PT.se. The club drew 1-1 with Malmö FF at LF Arena and then had to wait on events elsewhere before confirmation arrived.
That confirmation came when Hammarby defeated Rosengård 2-0, a result that guaranteed Piteå's place in the top division for another season. PT.se reports that the Piteå players were able to celebrate once the Hammarby result was known.
"It can't really be described. It's just so damn nice," Piteå player Alexandra Hellekant told PT.se.
Why it matters
For a club outside Sweden's major football centres, staying in the Damallsvenskan is the foundation on which everything else rests. Confirmation of another season in the top flight settles the question that had hung over the team's autumn and allows planning for 2027 to begin.
The manner of the survival adds its own weight. Piteå did their part at home but could not settle the matter themselves, and the outcome depended on a match being played elsewhere. PT.se notes the players had to wait for the Rosengård–Hammarby result before they could celebrate.
A dream start and a Malmö reply
PT.se reports that around 1,100 spectators were at LF Arena for the match. Piteå got the start they wanted when Alexandra Hellekant opened the scoring for 1-0, finishing after a well-placed through ball from Selina Henriksson. The forward ran clear of the defence and lifted the ball past the goalkeeper with composure.
Malmö FF equalised later in the game to make it 1-1. PT.se reports that the home crowd backed Piteå throughout the match.
The draw left Piteå's fate in the hands of the Rosengård–Hammarby fixture. Coverage of the day from several Swedish outlets reflects how the two results interlocked. Sydsvenskan reported that Malmö FF's draw was greeted with joy by their opponents, while Göteborgs-Posten recorded the 1-1 scoreline at LF Arena. Fotbollskanalen reported that Piteå secured their contract with help from Hammarby, and PT.se's own match report described the contract being sealed at home against Malmö.
What to watch
With the 2027 season now assured, attention turns to how Piteå build on the survival — beginning with the club's squad planning for the coming campaign.