The 1981 Norwegian Football Cup was the 76th edition of the Norwegian annual knockout football tournament. The Cup was won by Lillestrøm after beating Moss in the cup final with the score 3–1. This was Lillestrøm's third Norwegian Cup title.
| Norgesmesterskapet i fotball for herrer | |
|---|---|
| Tournament details | |
| Country |  Norway |
| Teams | 128 (main competition) |
| Defending champions | Vålerengen |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Lillestrøm (3rd title) |
| Runner-up | Moss |
First round edit
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 26 May 1981 | ||
| Donn | 2–4 (a.e.t.) | Vidar |
| Ørn-Horten | 8–0 | Birkebeineren |
| Kongsvinger | 3–1 | Vaaler |
| 27 May 1981 | ||
| Cartherud | 0–2 | Skeid |
| Verdal | 0–1 | Nessegutten |
| Steinkjer | 7–1 | Freidig |
| Clausenengen | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Kristiansund |
| Stord | 1–3 | Vard Haugesund |
| Kopervik | 3–1 | Åkra |
| Ulf | 0–1 | Ålgård |
| Fana | 0–1 (a.e.t.) | Ny-Krohnborg |
| Lyngdal | 1–10 | Start |
| Landsås | 2–3 | Bodø/Glimt |
| Varegg | 3–0 | Sandviken |
| Lærdal | 1–6 | Sogndal |
| Flå | 2–3 | Strindheim |
| Fram Skatval | 3–2 | Stjørdals/Blink |
| 28 May 1981 | ||
| Strømmen | 7–0 | Øvrevoll |
| Sander | 1–2 | Bærum |
| Stabæk | 4–1 | Vang |
| Vinstra | 1–2 | Raufoss |
| Faaberg | 0–6 | HamKam |
| Bjørkelangen | 2–3 | Lyn |
| Kjelsås | 2–1 | Østsiden |
| Vålerengen | 3–1 | Sandaker |
| Frigg | 2–1 | Sprint/Jeløy |
| Pors | 3–1 | Flint |
| Stavanger | 1–3 | Bryne |
| Lisleby | 3–0 | Fram Larvik |
| Larvik Turn | 4–2 | Hvittingfoss |
| Skreia | 2–3 | Sarpsborg |
| Velledalen/Ringen | 0–2 | Molde |
| Træff | 1–2 | Sunndal |
| Borgen | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Eidsvold Turn |
| Røros | 0–1 | Brekken |
| Baune | 0–4 | Brann |
| Os | 3–0 | Hald |
| Haugar | 4–0 | Nord |
| Lørenskog | 0–2 | Lillestrøm |
| Jerv | 1–4 (a.e.t.) | Teie |
| Namsos | 2–4 | Mosjøen |
| Tromsdalen | 0–3 (a.e.t.) | Harstad |
| Skjervøy | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Tromsø |
| Skotterud | 0–7 | Moss |
| Brumunddal | 3–3 (a.e.t.) | Strømsgodset |
| Mjølner | 7–1 | Saltdalkameratene |
| Stålkameratene | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Mo |
| Aalesund | 2–0 | Tornado |
| Sandane | 0–1 | Eid |
| Bergsøy | 2–4 | Hødd |
| Åndalsnes | 1–0 | Hareid |
| Kvinesdal | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | Vigør |
| Rosenborg | 3–0 | Vestbyen |
| Aurskog | 0–2 | Fredrikstad |
| Sola | 0–2 | Viking |
| Ørsta | 0–2 | Skarbøvik |
| Polarstjernen | 2–6 | Øksfjord |
| 2 June 1981 | ||
| Andenes | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Svolvær |
| 3 June 1981 | ||
| Kvik Halden | 2–1 | Kolbotn |
| Kongsberg | 0–3 | Odd |
| 4 June 1981 | ||
| Mjøndalen | 4–1 (a.e.t.) | Herkules |
| Eik-Tønsberg | 5–0 | Brevik |
| 10 June 1981 | ||
| Snøgg | 2–1 | Tjølling |
| Jevnaker | 1–3 | Åssiden |
| Replay: 4 June 1981 | ||
| Eidsvold Turn | 1–0 | Borgen |
| Replay: 8 June 1981 | ||
| Svolvær | 1–0 | Andenes |
| Replay: 10 June 1981 | ||
| Tromsø | 0–1 | Skjervøy |
| Strømsgodset | 3–1 | Brumunddal |
| Kristiansund | 3–0 | Clausenengen |
| Replay: 11 June 1981 | ||
| Mo | 5–2 (a.e.t.) | Stålkameratene |
Second round edit
Third round edit
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 8 July 1981 | ||
| Vålerengen | 6–0 | Odd |
| 9 July 1981 | ||
| Skarbøvik | 0–1 | Haugar |
| Kopervik | 1–3 | Bryne |
| Strømmen | 0–2 | Lillestrøm |
| Viking | 5–1 | Fram Skatval |
| Bærum | 0–2 | Start |
| Lyn | 2–1 | Frigg |
| Kongsvinger | 0–2 | HamKam |
| Pors | 1–2 | Moss |
| Steinkjer | 5–1 (a.e.t.) | Vard Haugesund |
| Kristiansund | 0–2 | Hødd |
| Rosenborg | 7–0 | Harstad |
| Sogndal | 3–4 (a.e.t.) | Brann |
| Sarpsborg | 4–6 (a.e.t.) | Fredrikstad |
| 12 July 1981 | ||
| Mjølner | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Bodø/Glimt |
| Molde | 4–2 | Strindheim |
Fourth round edit
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 5 August 1981 | ||
| Vålerengen | 5–1 | Steinkjer |
| Haugar | 1–2 | Viking |
| HamKam | 1–0 | Mjølner |
| Moss | 6–0 | Fredrikstad |
| Hødd | 2–0 | Lyn |
| Lillestrøm | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | Rosenborg |
| Brann | 0–0 (a.e.t.) | Start |
| Bryne | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | Molde |
| Replay: 20 August 1981 | ||
| Start | 3–1 | Brann |
Quarter-finals edit
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 |
|---|---|---|
| 30 August 1981 | ||
| Hødd | 1–2 | Vålerengen |
| Bryne | 0–1 | Lillestrøm |
| Start | 0–3 | Moss |
| Viking | 1–0 | HamKam |
Semi-finals edit
| Vålerengen | 0–2 | Lillestrøm |
|---|---|---|
Grønlund  57'Krogsæter 60' |
| Moss | 2–0 | Viking |
|---|---|---|
| Henæs 48' O.J. Henriksen 70' |
Final edit
| Lillestrøm | 3–1 | Moss |
|---|---|---|
| Krogsæter 16' Lund 32' (pen.)Lønstad 49' |
Report | Kollshaugen 89' |