The 2021–22 Danish Women's 1st Division (Danish: Danmarksturneringens 1. division i kvindefodbold 2021–22) was the thirteenth season of the Danish nation-wide second-tier association football division since its establishment in 1992 as part of the Danmarksturneringen i kvindefodbold's nation-wide league structure. The two or multiple group format of the second division was abolished and a single division format was reintroduced for the first time since the 2012–13 season and with fewer clubs partaking. Governed by the Danish FA, the season was launched on 7 August 2021 with two fixtures in the preliminary round (Dalum/Næsby vs B.93 and Odense Q vs Næstved HG) and concluded with the last four matches on 20 November 2021. All eight teams in the league took part in the previous season with four teams, Odense Q, B.93, IF ASA and Sundby BK, proceeding to the Qualification League without gaining promotion to the first division. The clubs in the division entered the 2021–22 Danish Women's Cup in the cup tournament's first round proper. The fixtures for the 2021–22 season were announced by the Danish FA's tournament committee and featured a twenty weeks long winter break.
In July 2021, Næstved HG Kvindeelite was formed as a superstructure between Næstved IF Fodbold and the women's football department of Herlufsholm GF, assuming the league license of Herlufsholm GF. Prior to the start of the season, the co-operation between Dalum IF and Næsby BK, known as Dalum/Næsby Pigefodbold, was extended to incorporate the first senior women's teams and assumed the league license of Næsby BK. Odense Q, Sundby BK, B.93 and Varde IF finished in the league's top half following the conclusion of the preliminary round and progressed to the Qualification League featuring the two lowest placed teams from the preliminary round of the first division. The bottom half of the table progressed to the 1st Division play-off round, featuring two qualified teams from the preliminary round of the third division, which determined the promotion and/or relegation spots between the second and third tiers.
Summary
Due to economic difficulties and the lack of an elite organization, the women's football department of Herlufsholm GF approached Næstved IF Fodbold with the intention of creating a women's superstructure between the two clubs, which resulted in Næstved HG Kvindeelite being formed on 1 July 2021, playing based on the league license of Herlufsholm GF. The superstructure between the women's football departments of Dalum IF and Næsby BK, known as Dalum/Næsby Pigefodbold, originally included youth and reserve teams, but beginning this season, it was expanded to incorporate the first senior women's teams and assumed the league license of Næsby BK in the second division under the revised name of Dalum/Næsby Kvinde- og Pigefodbold. At the beginning of the season, B.93's first senior women's team, represented by B.93 Q ApS (a subsidiary of B.93 Kontrakt Fodbold ApS, who runs the men's first team), were the only club in the league to have a license from the Danish FA to sign professional contracts with its players. With the arrival of an investor and the creation of an anpartsselskab, Odense Q was able to sign their first-ever semi-professional player contracts, starting with five players in August 2021. With an average age of nineteen, the players of Vildbjerg SF were reportedly among the youngest squads in the league, while Sundby BK's squad had an average age of 23 years.