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Eredivisie

Dutch association football league


Dutch association football league

FieldValue
logoEredivisie nieuw logo 2017-.svg
pixels230px
founded
countryNetherlands
confedUEFA
teams18 (since 1966–67)
levels1
relegationEerste Divisie
domest_cup
confed_cup
championsPSV (26th title)
season2024–25
most_champsAjax (36 titles)
most_appearancesPim Doesburg (687)
top_goalscorerWilly van der Kuijlen (311)
tvESPN & NOS
website
current2025–26 Eredivisie
Note

the top men's football league in the Netherlands

The Eredivisie (; "Honour Division" or "Premier Division"), also known as VriendenLoterij Eredivisie for sponsorship reasons, is a professional association football league in the Netherlands and the highest level of the Dutch football league system. The league was founded in 1956, two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. As of the 2024–25 season, it is ranked the sixth-best league in Europe by UEFA.

The Eredivisie consists of 18 clubs. Each club meets every other club twice during the season, once at home and once away. At the end of each season, the two clubs at the bottom are relegated to the second level of the Dutch league system, the Eerste Divisie (First Division), while the champion and runner-up of the Eerste Divisie are automatically promoted to the Eredivisie. The club finishing third from the bottom of the Eredivisie goes to separate promotion/relegation play-offs with six high-placed clubs from the Eerste Divisie.

The winner of the Eredivisie claims the Dutch national championship. Ajax have won the most titles with 36. PSV Eindhoven are next with 26, and Feyenoord follow with 16. Since 1965, these three clubs have won all but three Eredivisie titles (the 1981 and 2009 titles went to AZ and Twente won in 2010). Ajax, PSV, and Feyenoord are known as the "Big Three" or "Traditional Top Three" of Dutch football. They are the only clubs in their current form to have never been relegated out of the Eredivisie. A fourth club, Utrecht, is the product of a 1970 merger between three of that city's clubs, one of which, VV DOS, had also never been relegated out of the Eredivisie.

From 1990 to 1999, the official name of the league was PTT Telecompetitie (after the sponsor, PTT Telecom), which was changed to KPN Telecompetitie (because PTT Telecom changed its name to KPN Telecom) in 1999 and to KPN Eredivisie in 2000. From 2002 to 2005, the league was called the Holland Casino Eredivisie. Since the 2005–06 season, the league has been sponsored by the Vriendenloterij (lottery), but for legal reasons its name could not be attached to the league (the Dutch government was against the name, because the Eredivisie would, after Holland Casino's sponsorship, yet again be sponsored by a company providing games of chance). From the 2025-2026 season the eredivisie will be rebranded to VriendenLoterij Eredivisie.

In August 2012, it was made public that tycoon Rupert Murdoch had secured the rights to the Eredivisie for 12 years at the expense of one billion euros, beginning in the 2013–14 season. Within this deal, the five largest Eredivisie clubs were to receive five million euros per year. In 2020, the Eredivisie was abandoned due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

History

From the foundation of the Dutch national football championship in 1898 until 1954, the title was decided through play-offs by a handful of clubs who had previously won their regional league. The competition was purely an amateur one; the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) rejected any form of payment and suspended players who were caught receiving salary or transfer fees. The call for professional football grew in the early fifties after many national team members left to play abroad in search for financial benefits. The KNVB would usually suspend these players, preventing them from appearing for the Dutch national team. After the North Sea flood of 1953, the Dutch players abroad (mainly playing in the French league) organised a charity match against the France national team in Paris. The match was boycotted by the KNVB, but after the assembled Dutch players defeated the French (2–1), the Dutch public witnessed the heights that could be achieved through professional football. To serve the growing interest, a dissident professional football association (the NBVB) and league were founded for the 1954–55 season. On 3 July 1954, the KNVB met with a group of concerned amateur club chairmen, who feared the best players would join the professional teams. The meeting, dubbed the slaapkamerconferentie ('bedroom conference'), led to the Association reluctantly accepting semi-professionalism.

Meanwhile, both the KNVB and the NBVB started their separate competition. The first professional football match was contested between Alkmaar and Venlo. For the 1956–57 season, the KNVB abandoned the regional league system. The Eredivisie was founded, in which the eighteen best clubs nationwide directly played for the league title without play-offs. The inaugural members of the Eredivisie in 1956 were Ajax, BVC, BVV, DOS, EVV, Elinkwijk, SC Enschede, Feijenoord, Fortuna '54, GVAV, MVV, NAC, NOAD, PSV, Rapid J.C., Sparta, VVV '03 and Willem II. Ajax was the first team to claim the title that season. Below is a complete record of how many teams played in each season throughout the league's history;

  • 18 clubs: 1956–1962
  • 16 clubs: 1962–1966
  • 18 clubs: 1966–present

Current teams (2024–25)

Club
CityCapacityPosition
in 2023–241st season
in EredivisieNo. of seasons
in Eredivisie1st season of
current spellNo. of seasons
of current spellEredivisie titlesNational titlesLast title
Ajaxa bAmsterdam55,8655th1956–57691956–576928362022
Almere CitybAlmere4,50113th2023–2422023–24200-
AZAlkmaar19,4784th1968–69461998–9923222009
Feyenoorda bRotterdam51,1372nd1956–57691956–576911162023
Fortuna SittardSittard10,30010th1968–69262018–19700-
Go Ahead EaglesDeventer10,0009th1963–64352021–224041933
GroningenGroningen22,500promoted1971–72222024–25100-
HeerenveenHeerenveen27,22411th1990–91331993–943200-
HeraclesAlmelo12,08014th1962–63242023–242021941
NAC BredaaBreda19,000promoted1970–71252024–25100-
NECNijmegen12,5006th1967–68442021–22400-
PEC ZwolleZwolle13,25012th1978-79242023–24200-
PSVa bEindhoven36,5001st1956–57691956–576922252025
RKC WaalwijkWaalwijk7,50015th1988–89292019–20600-
Sparta RotterdamaRotterdam11,0268th1956–57592019–206161959
TwentecEnschede30,2053rd1956–57652019–205112010
Utrechtb dUtrecht23,7507th1970–71551970–715500-
Willem IIaTilburg14,700promoted*1956–57472024-251031955
  • Willem II finished first and FC Groningen finished second in the 2023–24 Eerste Divisie. NAC finished 8th and defeated Excelsior in the playoff final.

a Founding member of the Eredivisie b Never been relegated from the Eredivisie c Founding member of the Eredivisie (as Sportclub Enschede) d Founding member of the Eredivisie (as VV DOS and USV Elinkwijk)

Maps

Champions

Main article: List of Dutch football champions

Please note that the table below totals all winners of the Dutch top division, which included the Netherlands Football League Championship that preceded the Eredivisie. The Eredivisie was only founded in 1956 so many of these teams did not win the Eredivisie title.

ClubWinnerRunner-upWinning years
Ajax [[File:Star full.svgframeless20x20px]][[File:Star full.svgframeless20x20px]][[File:Star full.svgframeless20x20px]]36
241917–18, 1918–19, 1930–31, 1931–32, 1933–34, 1936–37, 1938–39, 1946–47, 1956–57, 1959–60, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1969–70, 1971–72, 1972–73, 1976–77, 1978–79, 1979–80, 1981–82, 1982–83, 1984–85, 1989–90, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2010–11, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22
PSV [[File:Star full.svgframeless20x20px]][[File:Star full.svgframeless20x20px]]26
161928–29, 1934–35, 1950–51, 1962–63, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1977–78, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1990–91, 1991–92, 1996–97, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2023–24, 2024–25
Feyenoord [[File:Star full.svgframeless20x20px]]16
221923–24, 1927–28, 1935–36, 1937–38, 1939–40, 1960–61, 1961–62, 1964–65, 1968–69, 1970–71, 1973–74, 1983–84, 1992–93, 1998–99, 2016–17, 2022–23
HVV Den Haag [[File:Star full.svgframeless20x20px]]10
11890–91, 1895–96, 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1901–02, 1902–03, 1904–05, 1906–07, 1909–10, 1913–14
Sparta Rotterdam61908–09, 1910–11, 1911–12, 1912–13, 1914–15, 1958–59
RAP531891–92, 1893–94, 1896–97, 1897–98, 1898–99
Go Ahead Eagles451916–17, 1921–22, 1929–30, 1932–33
Koninklijke HFC331889–90, 1892–93, 1894–95
Willem II311915–16, 1951–52, 1954–55
HBS Craeyenhout31903–04, 1905–06, 1924–25
AZ231980–81, 2008–09
Heracles211926–27, 1940–41
ADO Den Haag21941–42, 1942–43
RCH21922–23, 1952–53
NAC Breda141920–21
Twente132009–10
DWS131963–64
Roda JC Kerkrade*121955–56
Be Quick121919–20
FC Eindhoven121953–54
SC Enschede111925–26
DOS111957–58
Den Bosch111947–48
De Volewijckers11943–44
Haarlem11945–46
Limburgia11949–50
SVV11948–49
Quick Den Haag11907–08
VV Concordia11888–89
  • As Rapid JC.

Playoffs

European competition

PositionPlayoffQualification to
1stChampions League League Stage
2ndChampions League League stage
3rdChampions League third qualifying round of the League Path.
4thEuropa League second qualifying round
5th–8thEuropean competition play-offs5th vs 8th and 6th vs 7th; the two winners play each other to qualify for:
Europa Conference League second qualifying round
KNVB Cup winnersEuropa League League stage

Relegation

PositionPlayoffWhat happens next
16thNacompetitieThe 3rd to 8th placed teams in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie compete against each other for a spot in the semi finals. The remaining 3 teams and the 16th placed team from the Eredivisie then face off in a double legged knock out system for the final place in the Eredivisie.
17th-18thDirect relegation to the Keuken Kampioen Divisie

Attendance

ClubAttendance
Ajax52,987
Feyenoord42,065
PSV34,071
FC Utrecht18,846
Heerenveen18,743
NAC Breda18,262
Groningen18,025
Vitesse15,422
AZ15,027
PEC Zwolle13,478
Willem II12,998
ADO Den Haag12,561
De Graafschap12,321
Heracles Almelo10,993
Fortuna Sittard9,100
FC Emmen8,238
VVV Venlo6,828
Excelsior4,223
Average18,010

Since the beginning of the league, there have been three clubs with an attendance much higher than the others: Ajax, PSV and Feyenoord. Clubs like Heerenveen, Utrecht and Groningen also have fairly large fanbases. The regular season average league attendance was just over 7,000 in 1990, but this figure has risen sharply over the years thanks to the opening of new stadiums and the expansion of existing ones nationwide. Average attendance for the 2018–19 season was 18,010, with Ajax having the largest (52,987) and Excelsior having the smallest (4,223). Ajax's figures however differ from those provided by the Johan Cruyff Arena, since the club counts all tickets sold instead of the number of people going through the turnstiles.

All-time ranking (since 1956)

:Last updated following the 2024-2025 season

Club has been disestablished or merged into another club
RankClubSeasonsPlayedWonDrawnLostPointsAvg.
PointsGoals
forGoals
againstGoal
difference
1.Ajax692321154441835950502,1858812363+3518
2.PSV692322142648640047942,0654292439+2990
3.Feyenoord692321133153045645271,9549792639+2340
4.FC Twente58196086252557331111,5931402492+648
5.Sparta Rotterdam59198268955074326171,3229463070–124
6.FC Utrecht55186170148767325901,3927042726–22
7.AZ47157269438649225151,6027242130+594
8.Roda JC Kerkrade44149656339154220801,3922602208+52
9.NAC Breda51172253744973620601,2022732870–597
10.FC Groningen45152251141359819461,2821042344–240
11.ADO Den Haag47157450940466119311,2322262616–390
12.Vitesse39131850636344918811,4319711853+118
13.Willem II47158247935774617941,1321702823–653
14.N.E.C.44149642342365016921,1317642326–562
15.SC Heerenveen33111443528639315911,4318061746+60
16.MVV Maastricht36120835035650214061,1615271992–465
17.Go Ahead Eagles35117835929349213701,1615391863–324
18.RKC Waalwijk2997828424345110951,1212461629–383
19.Fortuna Sittard268762462433879811,1210341434–400
20.FC Volendam279102422284409541,0510701672–602
21.Heracles Almelo247922441813699071,1510581446–388
22.PEC Zwolle248082222173698831,0810201402–382
23.VVV-Venlo268082212063818691,0810351509–474
24.Excelsior Rotterdam248161832024317510,929121543–631
25.HFC Haarlem186121721782626941,13695978–283
26.De Graafschap217141571753826460,907731373–600
27.DOS144601681091836131,33790848–58
28.AFC DWS134301471171665581,30588644–56
29.Fortuna '5412392141991525221,33635700–65
30.Telstar144681181402104941,06530754–224
31.GVAV123921231151544841,23533595–62
32.FC Den Bosch134421141232054651,05491756–265
33.SC Enschede929412177964401,50565490+75
34.SC Cambuur930665741672690,88337576–239
35.Rapid JC62047347842661,30307350–43
36.USV Elinkwijk723465501192451,05306483–177
37.FC Amsterdam62046156872391,17263321–58
38.Blauw-Wit61966542892371,21334401–67
39.Holland Sport41363734651451,07168279–111
40.FC Dordrecht620431461271390,68208463–255
41.RBC Roosendaal517035261091310,77164358–194
42.NOAD41363330731290,95187311–124
43.FC Emmen41283232641281,00146250–104
44.Sittardia41323229711250,95148256–108
45.Xerxes/DHC268261725951,409295–3
46.FC Eindhoven3102232554940,92107209–102
47.BVC Amsterdam268202028801,18103130–27
48.BVV268181040640,94126172–46
49.SC Veendam268122333590,8774127–53
50.FC Wageningen268131837570,8472137–65
51.Almere City FC268112334560,8256123–67
52.De Volewijckers264151039550,8699189–90
53.Helmond Sport268121838540,7993162–69
54.SVV268131342520,7662142–80
55.Alkmaar '5413461216300,883961–22

Player records

Appearances

RankNameGamesPlaying positionFirst matchLast match
1NED Pim Doesburg687Goalkeeper1962–631986–87
2NED Jan Jongbloed684Goalkeeper1959–601985–86
3NED Piet Schrijvers576Goalkeeper1963–641984–85
4NED Sander Boschker562Goalkeeper1989-902012-13
5NED Willy van der Kuijlen545Forward1964-651981-82
6NED Eddy Treijtel542Goalkeeper1966-671984-85
7NED Willy van de Kerkhof511Midfielder1970-711987-88
8NED Aad Mansveld505Defender1964-651981-82
9NED Willem van Hanegem494Midfielder1967-681982-83
10NED Leo van Ven491Forward1965-661983-84

Goals

Main article: List of Eredivisie top scorers

RankNameGoalsGamesGoals per gamePlaying positionFirst goalLast goal
1NED Willy van der Kuijlen3115450.57Forward1964–651981–82
2NED Ruud Geels2663920.68Forward1964–651983–84
3NED Johan Cruijff2163090.70Forward1964–651983–84
4NED Kees Kist2123720.57Forward1972–731983–84
5NED Tonny van der Linden2084560.46Forward1956–571966–67

Top scorers

The top goalscorer of the league season is awarded the Willy van der Kuijlen Trophy since the 2020-21 season.

:Last updated following the 2024–25 season.

SeasonTop Scorer(s)GoalsClub(s)
1956–57Netherlands Coen Dillen43PSV
1957–58Netherlands Leo Canjels32NAC
1958–59Netherlands Leo Canjels (2)34NAC
1959–60Netherlands Henk Groot37Ajax
1960–61Netherlands Henk Groot (2)41Ajax
1961–62Netherlands Dick Tol27Volendam
1962–63Netherlands Pierre Kerkhoffs22PSV
1963–64Netherlands Frans Geurtsen28DWS
1964–65Netherlands Frans Geurtsen (2)23DWS
1965–66Netherlands Willy van der KuijlenNetherlands Piet Kruiver23PSVFeyenoord
1966–67Netherlands Johan Cruyff33Ajax
1967–68Sweden Ove Kindvall28Feyenoord
1968–69Netherlands Dick van DijkSweden Ove Kindvall (2)30TwenteFeyenoord
1969–70Netherlands Willy van der Kuijlen (2)26PSV
1970–71Sweden Ove Kindvall (3)24Feyenoord
1971–72Netherlands Johan Cruyff (2)25Ajax
1972–73Netherlands Cas JanssensNetherlands Willy Brokamp18NECMVV
1973–74Netherlands Willy van der Kuijlen (3)27PSV
1974–75Netherlands Ruud Geels30Ajax
1975–76Netherlands Ruud Geels (2)29Ajax
1976–77Netherlands Ruud Geels (3)34Ajax
1977–78Netherlands Ruud Geels (4)30Ajax
1978–79Netherlands Kees Kist34AZ
1979–80Netherlands Kees Kist (2)27AZ
1980–81Netherlands Ruud Geels (5)22Sparta
1981–82Netherlands Wim Kieft32Ajax
1982–83Netherlands Peter Houtman30Feyenoord
1983–84Netherlands Marco van Basten28Ajax
1984–85Netherlands Marco van Basten (2)22Ajax
1985–86Netherlands Marco van Basten (3)37Ajax
1986–87Netherlands Marco van Basten (4)31Ajax
1987–88Netherlands Wim Kieft (2)29PSV
1988–89Brazil Romário19PSV
1989–90Brazil Romário (2)23PSV
1990–91Brazil Romário (3)Netherlands Dennis Bergkamp25PSVAjax
1991–92Netherlands Dennis Bergkamp (2)24Ajax
1992–93Netherlands Dennis Bergkamp (3)26Ajax
1993–94Finland Jari Litmanen26Ajax
1994–95Brazil Ronaldo30PSV
1995–96Belgium Luc Nilis21PSV
1996–97Belgium Luc Nilis (2)21PSV
1997–98Greece Nikos Machlas34Vitesse
1998–99Netherlands Ruud van Nistelrooy31PSV
1999–2000Netherlands Ruud van Nistelrooy (2)29PSV
2000–01FR Yugoslavia Mateja Kežman24PSV
2001–02Netherlands Pierre van Hooijdonk24Feyenoord
2002–03FR Yugoslavia Mateja Kežman (2)35PSV
2003–04FR Yugoslavia Mateja Kežman (3)31PSV
2004–05Netherlands Dirk Kuyt29Feyenoord
2005–06Netherlands Klaas-Jan Huntelaar33Heerenveen/Ajax
2006–07Brazil Afonso Alves34Heerenveen
2007–08Netherlands Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (2)33Ajax
2008–09Morocco Mounir El Hamdaoui23AZ
2009–10Uruguay Luis Suárez35Ajax
2010–11Belgium Björn Vleminckx23NEC
2011–12Netherlands Bas Dost32Heerenveen
2012–13Ivory Coast Wilfried Bony31Vitesse
2013–14Iceland Alfreð Finnbogason29Heerenveen
2014–15Netherlands Memphis Depay22PSV
2015–16Netherlands Vincent Janssen27AZ
2016–17Denmark Nicolai Jørgensen21Feyenoord
2017–18Iran Alireza Jahanbakhsh21AZ
2018–19Netherlands Luuk de JongSerbia Dušan Tadić28PSVAjax
2019–20Netherlands Steven BerghuisBelgium Cyriel Dessers15FeyenoordHeracles Almelo
2020–21Greece Giorgos Giakoumakis26VVV-Venlo
2021–22Ivory Coast Sébastien Haller21Ajax
2022–23Greece Anastasios DouvikasNetherlands Xavi Simons19UtrechtPSV
2023–24Netherlands Luuk de Jong (2)Greece Vangelis Pavlidis29PSVAZ
2024–25Netherlands Sem Steijn24Twente

Eredivisie teams and major UEFA and FIFA competitions

The following sixteen international tournaments were won by Eredivisie teams:

The UEFA Super Cup was founded by a Dutch reporter named Anton Witkamp and Ajax's 1973 win was the first time the tournament was contested officially.

Sponsorship names for seasons

  • Eredivisie (1956–1990)
  • PTT-Telecompetitie (1990–1999)
  • KPN-Telecompetitie (1999–2000)
  • KPN Eredivisie (2000–2002)
  • Holland Casino Eredivisie (2002–2005)
  • VriendenLoterij Eredivisie (2025–present) (de jure) (2005–present) (de facto)

References

References

  1. (July 2018). "Country coefficients".
  2. "Reglement play-off promotie/degradatie betaald voetbal seizoen 2021/'22".
  3. (8 August 2012). "Murdoch koopt tv-rechten eredivisie". TMG Landelijke Media B.V..
  4. (8 August 2012). "5 vragen over wat de deal Murdoch-Eredivisie betekent voor de kijker". NRC Media.
  5. "Netherlands – Regional Analysis".
  6. "Eredivisie – ontstaan". Vak Q.
  7. "Professionalism and European Games". TimeRime.
  8. "De Watersnoodwedstrijd van Cor van der Hart". Sportgeschiedenis.
  9. "Netherlands Final Tables 1950–1954".
  10. "Netherlands 1954/55".
  11. "Netherlands 1956/57".
  12. (7 May 2021). "Topscorer eredivisie krijgt vanaf dit seizoen Willy van der Kuijlen-trofee".
  13. (15 May 2022). "Haller tweede winnaar Willy van der Kuijlen-Trofee".
  14. [https://www.rsssf.org/tablesn/nedtops.html Eredivisie Top Scorers] {{Webarchive. link. (27 October 2022 - rsssf)
  15. "Henk Groot: Rijke Slaaf Van Modern Voetbal Werd Door Ajax En Feyenoord Gewaardeerd". vi.nl.
  16. "Henk Groot". afc-ajax.info.
  17. "Ex-international Henk Groot (84) Overleden". KNVB (Royal Dutch Football Association).
  18. "Het Wonderseizoen Van Henk Groot". Golden Goals Media.
  19. [http://eredivisielive.nl/eredivisie/statistieken/topscorer/seizoen/1990-1991 Topscorers Eredivisie 1990–1991]{{dead link. (December 2017)
  20. [http://eredivisielive.nl/eredivisie/statistieken/topscorer/seizoen/1991-1992 Topscorers Eredivisie 1991–1992]{{dead link. (December 2017)
  21. [http://eredivisielive.nl/eredivisie/statistieken/topscorer/seizoen/1992-1993 Topscorers Eredivisie 1992–1993]{{dead link. (December 2017)
  22. UEFA.com. (2023-08-16). "UEFA Super Cup history".
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