Örgryte IS of Gothenburg, was founded in 1887.
There was no Swedish Football Federation until 1904, but the first competition resembling a national championship was organised by the Swedish Sports Federation as early as 1896, when a football match (to decide the national championships) was included in the national track-and-field championships at Helsingborg.
Two Gothenburg clubs, Örgryte IS and IS Idrottens Vänner, travelled the 500 km to Helsingborg. Örgryte won 3-0. They won the first four editions of this Svenska Mästerskapet, including an 1897 victory over their reserves.
Early editions were head to head affairs, but in 1902 the format expanded to include 4 clubs. In 1904 the contest included 22 clubs, played on a knockout basis, which Örgryte IS won.
In all the Svenska Mästerskapet was contested 30 times up to 1925, with Örgryte IS heading the list of winners with 11 titles.
