Åtvidabergs Fotbollförening, usually known as Åtvidaberg and sometimes known as Åtvid, was first established in July 1907. Due to the fact that the team are based in the small town of Åtvidaberg, which has a population of less than 7,000, they have historically been seen as over-achievers in Swedish football, having earned significant national silverware in the domestic game.
At the time that Elof Ericsson took over as club chairman during the 1920s, Åtvidaberg were playing in the fifth tier. Ericsson, the owner of a local factory, increased funding to the team in an effort to move the club up the league system and the team employed a national scouting system, which was considered far ahead of its time. Ericsson's ability to offer amateur players from other cities a job in his factory made the club an appealing prospect for many players and during the 1950s, Åtvidaberg reached the top tier for the first time.
The team's golden era came during the late 1960s and early 1970s, starting with a Svenska Cupen win in the 1969-70 season. The following year, Åtvidaberg lifted the trophy for a second time. In both 1972 and 1973, the team finished top of the Allsvenskan league and were crowned Swedish champions. To date, these title victories remain the greatest successes achieved in the team's history. Since the 1970s, the club have fallen out of the top flight several times, most recently bouncing back ahead of the 2012 season.
Amongst the best-known and most notable players to play for the side are former Swedish international footballers, like Conny Torstensson, Ralf Edström and Roland Sandberg.
Åtvidaberg play their home matches at Kopparvallen, which first opened in 1907. The stadium underwent renovations in 2000 and a partial rebuild from 2011 to 2012. At present, it is able to hold a maximum of 8,000 supporters.
