Elverum are clear favourites for the Norwegian league title, Sandefjord are making waves near the top, and Drammen have become one of the season’s biggest disappointments. In the first edition of The Weekly Wrap-Up, Norwegian TV2 expert Bent Svele and handball analyst Magnus Tveitdal Olsen share their thoughts on the biggest talking points in the men’s league.
Bent Svele is one of Norway’s best-known handball experts, working as an analyst for TV2. With extensive knowledge of the Norwegian game, he offers an inside perspective on the league’s biggest stories and emerging talents.
Magnus Tveitdal Olsen is a handball expert and the man behind RTHandball, a respected platform for handball analysis, player transfers, and coverage. He brings a broader analytical perspective to the Norwegian league, assessing team performances, player development and the factors shaping the season.
What is The Weekly Wrap-Up?
The Weekly Wrap-Up is GoHandball’s recurring look at the biggest talking points across European handball. We invite experts with in-depth knowledge of a particular league to share their perspectives on the teams, players and stories making headlines.
For our first edition, we turn our attention to Norway’s men’s league, where Elverum are setting the pace, Sandefjord are emerging as serious contenders near the top, and former title challengers Kolstad and Drammen have plenty of questions to answer.
Kolstad have struggled domestically and suffered several heavy defeats in the EHF Champions League. What has happened to a project that once promised so much?
Bent Svele:
“Kolstad was built as a major project, but it ultimately turned into a house of cards. Janus Smárason was among the first to leave, and the financial problems kept mounting. In 2026, the club needs to post a profit of NOK 10 million to avoid relegation from the Eliteserien.”
Magnus Tveitdal Olsen:
“As is well known, the Kolstad project has more or less been put on hold. The club has chosen a different strategy and is now focusing more on young players and developing future stars, rather than paying enormous salaries to established names.
It is an understandable strategy given the situation the club finds itself in, but it also means performances are likely to be more inconsistent. They still have quality, but rebuilding a team and giving young players the experience required at this level naturally takes time.”
Elverum have established themselves as the team to beat. Is the league title effectively theirs already, or can anyone mount a serious challenge?
Bent Svele:
“Elverum are clearly the best team. It would be a huge surprise if they failed to win the league title. Their biggest challengers are Runar from Sandefjord.”
Magnus Tveitdal Olsen:
“I am actually completely convinced that Elverum will win the title. Their squad is simply too deep and too strong compared to those of the other teams.
Over a long season, injuries, dips in form and the demands of the schedule will play a major role, and I think Elverum have a clear advantage in that respect. They have quality in almost every position and can rotate their players without losing too much in terms of performance level. For me, they are the clear favourites.”
Sandefjord are only in their second consecutive season in the top flight, yet they are already competing near the top of the table. What explains their rapid progress?
Bent Svele:
“So far this season, they have faced somewhat weaker opposition. However, they made a major signing by bringing Felix Abrahamsen Lunde in from Nærbø.
They are a strong collective, with plenty of enthusiasm among young players who are eager to progress. They also have a good coach in Marinko Kurtovic.”
Magnus Tveitdal Olsen:
“I think it is primarily about the momentum Sandefjord have built under Marinko Kurtovic, who is a fantastic coach. He has a wealth of experience and knows how to get the best out of his players.
They also have Felix Lunde, who has been outstanding both this season and last season. Sandefjord are very good at developing young players and bringing through new talent, too. The combination of a good coach, a clear playing philosophy and young players continuing to improve has been crucial to their success.”
Who has stood out so far this season, and why?
Bent Svele:
“Frederik Pedersen (Elverum) has established himself as the league’s best player. He has been a fantastic signing for Elverum. Felix Lunde (Sandefjord) has fired his team into the upper reaches of the table. Kevin Gulliksen (Elverum) has demonstrated excellent form and has secured his place in the national team under Magnus Andersson.”
Magnus Tveitdal Olsen:
“For me, it comes down to Felix Lunde and Henrik Øygarden. Lunde has been fantastic and has shown over an extended period that he can perform at a very high level. It is impressive how consistently he continues to deliver. Øygarden has impressed me as well, and I think he deserves recognition. Both players have shown that they can make a real difference for their teams.”
Every season has its surprises, but which team has fallen furthest short of expectations so far?
Bent Svele:
“Drammen. They have gone from reaching the play-off final to fighting against relegation. They lost Tobias Søberg to Danish handball over the summer and have also suffered injuries to several key players.”
Magnus Tveitdal Olsen:
“Drammen are the biggest disappointment for me. A team that finished second in last season’s play-offs is now in the relegation zone and has really struggled. Lind Oma’s injury has obviously affected the team, but it cannot be the entire explanation for such poor results. Given the quality and potential within the squad, I expected considerably more. It will be interesting to see whether they can turn things around, because right now the contrast with last season is enormous.”