IK Start Falls Short in Pre-Season Friendly Against Sandefjord
Sandefjord defeated IK Start in a pre-season friendly match on Sunday, March 8, 2026, serving as a final assessment before the start of the new league season. The match, played at Jotun Arena in Sandefjord, ended with a narrow defeat for IK Start, highlighting areas for improvement as they prepare for competitive play, according to reports.
The game kicked off at 4:00 PM UTC, providing a crucial opportunity for IK Start to evaluate their form and tactical readiness. Having recently returned from winter training in Spain, where they secured a 2-2 draw against Bryne FK – with goals from Jesper Cornelius and Fredrik Pålerud – the team aimed to carry that momentum into their match against Sandefjord. IK Start’s website detailed the team’s recent activity and preparations.
Sandefjord, who finished in 5th place in the Eliteserien last year, proved to be a challenging opponent, particularly strong on their home turf, earning the nickname “Fort Jotun Arena.” The club scored 31 goals at home last season.
Significant changes have occurred within the Sandefjord squad since last season, with their top scorer from 2023, Stefán Ingi Sigurdarson (15 goals), moving to Go Ahead Eagles in the Netherlands. He has been replaced by Nikolaj Duus Möller. Other departures include Loris Mettler and Martin Gjone to HamKam, and Christopher Cheng to Widzew Łódź. Incoming players include Håkon Krogelien from Jerv, and Danish talent Jakob Vester, along with Belgian mid-stopper Xander Lambrix who joined in January.
Jesper Cornelius, who scored his first goal for the club against Bryne FK, was a key player for IK Start. The team is also preparing for a Kick-Off event on Thursday, March 12th, at Tollboden to mark the start of the new season for both the men’s and women’s teams, as announced on the club’s website.
IK Start recently announced their captain team for the 2026 season and has appointed Katrine Waage as the new head of the Matta-Akademiet. The club also confirmed the completion of their 2026 Annual General Meeting and is seeking an assistant coach for their G17 team. IK Start has entered into a historic partnership with MK and Lyngdal IL, according to club updates.
The club is also preparing for their annual supporter meeting and has announced information regarding physical season tickets. Two players are reportedly on their way out of the club just before the start of the season, as reported by fvn.no.
