A 2-1 defeat to bottom-of-the-table Halmstad ultimately cost Honkavaara, leaving his side six points behind both Hammarby and Sirius. Djurgarden's goal difference is eight worse than Hammarby's meaning even the unlikely event of making up that six-point gap might not be enough for a first title since 2019.
That defeat was Djurgarden's first in the league since mid-September, but draws with Orgryte and Goteborg in October saw Blaranderna lose key ground in the title race, while their Stockholm rivals Hammarby have won five in a row to take pole position ahead of the final two rounds.
Honkavaara took charge in December 2024 after winning his second league title in his native Finland with KuPS, and took his new side to the semi-finals of the UEFA Conference League, losing to eventual winners Chelsea. In 2025, Djurgarden missed out on Europe, finishing in fifth place.
Sitting in third, three points clear of Hacken, the Stockholm side still have a good chance of returning to the Conference League, but the heirarchy have decided not to give Honkavaara, plus his assistants Christer Mattiasson and Hugo Berggren, the chance to secure a place.
“We have now reached a point where we felt it was no longer possible to achieve the development, daily energy and positivity that we need,” said Djurgarden director of football, Maximilian Hahn.
"Our clear ambition going forward is for Djurgarden to be a club that fights for the title every year. But the trend, both in terms of our performances on the pitch and our points tally, simply does not match our goal and ambition to compete for titles," Hahn added, despite the progress since 2025.
Djurgarden will be led by Agon Mehmeti, Abel Lorincz and Hannes Gronblad for the time being. After the international break, Djurgarden face two tough tests - Sirius away on 22nd November, before finishing the season at home to Hacken on 29th November.