The 2003 season looked as if Tromsø would return to the first division, but they rescued their place in the Tippeligaen by scoring a winning goal three minutes into injury time in the season's final match against league champions Rosenborg BK. The arrival of Per Mathias Høgmo before the 2004 season proved to be a success; Tromsø had another good season and finished fourth in the league, which qualified them for the Royal League and, as a result of third-placed team SK Brann's victory in the cup that year, the UEFA Cup. After his first successful year, Høgmo opted to forego extending his contract and his former assistant Otto Ulseth was promoted to head coach.
The 2003 season looked as if Tromsø would return to the first division, but they rescued their place in the Tippeligaen by scoring a winning goal three minutes into injury time in the season's final match against league champions Rosenborg BK. The arrival of Per Mathias Høgmo before the 2004 season proved to be a success; Tromsø had another good season and finished fourth in the league, which qualified them for the Royal League and, as a result of third-placed team SK Brann's victory in the cup that year, the UEFA Cup. After his first successful year, Høgmo opted to forego extending his contract and his former assistant Otto Ulseth was promoted to head coach.