1986; 38 years ago (1986), as Badmintonfélag Ísafjarðar 1988; 36 years ago (1988), as BÍ'88 2006; 18 years ago (2006) as BÍ/Bolungarvík 2016; 8 years ago (2016) as Vestri
The Vestri men's football team, commonly known as Vestri, is the men's football department of the Íþróttafélagið Vestri multi-sport club and is based in Ísafjarðarbær, Iceland.[1] As of 2024, it plays in the Icelandic top-tier Besta deild karla.
The club was founded in 1986 as the football department of Badmintonfélag Ísafjarðar, or BÍ for short.[2] It first participated in the Icelandic tier-4 league, then known as 4. deild karla, that same year and their first coach was former Icelandic international player Björn Helgason. In 1988, Ísafjörður biggest club, Íþróttabandalag Ísafjarðar (ÍBÍ), folded after years of financial difficulties and most of their players moved over to BÍ who took over as the town's major football club.[3][4] The club took up the name BÍ'88 to mark the new beginning and Jóhann Króknes Torfason was hired as the head coach.[5] They won their group in 4. deild convincingly, scoring 46 goals while conceding only 3, with their biggest win being an 18–0 victory over Höfrungur. In the 4. deild playoff they came out on top and achieved promotion to 3. deild karla where they played the next three years. In 1991 the team achieved promotion to 2. deild karla after finishing as runner-up's in 3. deild. They played there for two years before being relegated back to 3. deild. After the 1996 season, the club withdrew from play due to financial difficulties.
On 21 September 2019, Vestri won a 7–0 victory against Tindastóll in the last game of the season and secured a promotion to the second-tier 1. deild karla.[13]
On 30 September 2023, Vestri defeated Afturelding in the 1. deild karla promotion playoff final to secure a berth in the top-tier Besta deild karla for the first time in its history.[14]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
Players who have played for Vestri (Badmintonfélag Ísafjarðar, BÍ'88 and BÍ/Bolungarvík) and earned international caps at senior level. Correct as of 1 May 2021.
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Guðmundur Gíslason[15]
Albion W. Eagles
Esbjerg fB
Sarpsborg 08
Slobodan Milišić
Daniel Osafo-Badu