AB and Vejle Kick Off the Betinia Liga Season

It's Time. Tomorrow, Friday, July 24, 2026, AB Gladsaxe begins its Betinia Liga campaign following promotion this summer, traveling to Vejle Stadion to face Vejle Boldklub. Kickoff is at 18:00.

Vejle returns to the second division after relegation from the Danish Superliga, making it a challenging opening fixture for AB. The test doesn't get any easier, as AB's first home match next Friday, July 31, will be against fellow Superliga relegated side FC Fredericia.

Vejle head coach Claus Nørgaard has assembled a talented squad filled with experienced players, and the club has made no secret of its ambition to earn an immediate return to the Superliga.

As part of their preseason preparations, Vejle drew with Esbjerg fB (3-3), defeated Hillerød (2-1), and drew with both Randers FC (2-2) and Hvidovre IF (1-1).

The last meeting between Vejle and AB dates back to May 2017, when the sides played to a 2-2 draw at Vejle Stadion.

AB enters the season with the core of last year's promotion-winning squad intact while adding several new faces. As a result, preparations have focused more on fine-tuning than rebuilding ahead of the club's return to the Betinia Liga.

During preseason, AB played:

• FC Roskilde (1-1)
• Helsingborgs IF (2-0 win)
• Brønshøj BK (1-2 win)
• B93 (3-3)

Søren Ilsøe: "It's still 11 against 11."

Midfielder Søren Ilsøe is eager for competitive football to return.

"We're excited to get back out there and play matches where three points are on the line. It'll be exciting to experience a bigger stage, and that's something we all enjoy.

I think we've prepared really well for the new season. We've had a strong preseason, worked through a lot together, and covered every aspect of our game. I feel we're as ready as we can be.

We stay true to our philosophy here at AB every time we step on the pitch. Of course, we'll make adjustments depending on our opponent.

The fact that we're facing teams from a higher level doesn't change anything—it's still 11 against 11. Vejle may play faster and be used to a higher standard, and that's something we need to adapt to.

We don't care whether Vejle are relegated, promoted, or have spent ten years in the division. They're a football team that plays their way, and we need to adapt while playing our own game as well as possible.

Vejle have quality players with plenty of experience. They'll look to overload our defensive line, and we need to be ready for that. I think we have a strong game plan, and I know we'll give everything we have. If we execute our plan and bring our mentality, we'll put ourselves in a good position."

Fannar Berg Gunnólfsson: "We've been waiting six weeks for this."

Head coach Fannar Berg Gunnólfsson believes AB should remain true to its identity.

"We're not changing the way we play just because it's a new season. We know what we need to know about Vejle, and we know how we want to approach the game. They're an excellent team with very good footballers, but we've identified areas where we can cause them problems, and that's where our focus will be.

There's a lot of excitement within the squad. We've waited six weeks for this first match, and tomorrow is what we've been working toward. We've talked a lot about how to approach these new opponents without becoming nervous.

You can't put a football match on a pedestal and convince yourself it's bigger than it really is. As I always say, we're playing for three points—there are no six-point matches. Nerves are natural, but the players have to manage them. This squad went through a lot together last season, so I have no concerns about how they'll handle that side of the game."

Come on, AB! 💚🤍