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Eredivisie

Eredivisie


Eredivisie is the top professional football division in the Netherlands. It was officially established in 1956 following the legalization of professional football in the country in 1954. Before the formation of the Eredivisie, Dutch football operated under various regional leagues and a national playoff system.

History and facts

Football in the Netherlands grew rapidly in the early 20th century under an amateur system. Professionalism was introduced in 1954, leading to the unification of leagues and the creation of the Eredivisie in 1956. The first champions were Ajax.

The Eredivisie currently features 18 clubs playing each other home and away for a total of 34 matches per team each season. Since the introduction of the three-points-for-a-win system, Dutch clubs have become known for high-scoring, attacking football.

The most successful club in league history is Ajax, followed by PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord. These three teams form the famous Dutch “Top 3.”

League system


The Eredivisie sits at the top of the Dutch football league pyramid, above the Eerste Divisie (second tier). Promotion and relegation between the two divisions is determined by automatic spots and playoffs. Below these levels are several amateur divisions under the KNVB.


Table 1. Dutch football tiers
League Tier
Eredivisie1
Eerste Divisie2
Tweede Divisie3
Derde Divisie4
Hoofdklasse5
Below the fifth tier follow several amateur regional leagues under the KNVB structure.

Stats

Teams with most titles


This table lists all Dutch clubs with at least two Eredivisie titles since the competition began in 1956.

Table 2. Eredivisie champions (multiple titles)
Club Titles
Ajax36
PSV Eindhoven25
Feyenoord16
AZ Alkmaar2
Twente1
Additional single-title winners include Sparta Rotterdam, Roda JC, and Willem II during older competition formats.

Participation Table
Table 3. Most Eredivisie seasons played
Club Seasons
Ajax68
Feyenoord68
PSV Eindhoven68
FC Utrecht52
SC Heerenveen48
AZ Alkmaar46
Groningen44
Zwolle22
Since 1956, a total of over 50 clubs have appeared in at least one Eredivisie season.
--- Audience – Stadium Capacities
Table 4. Stadium capacities (2023–24 season)
Team Stadium Capacity
AjaxJohan Cruyff Arena55,865
FeyenoordDe Kuip51,117
PSVPhilips Stadion35,000
UtrechtStadion Galgenwaard23,750
TwenteDe Grolsch Veste30,205
AZ AlkmaarAFAS Stadion19,500
HeerenveenAbe Lenstra Stadion26,100
GroningenEuroborg22,579
SpartaHet Kasteel11,926
--- Players

Top goalscorers

The all-time Eredivisie top scorer is Willy van der Kuijlen, who scored 311 goals for PSV between 1964 and 1981 — a record that still stands.

Other notable scorers include Ruud Geels, Johan Cruyff, Arie Haan, Pierre van Hooijdonk, and Dirk Kuyt.

The player with the most Eredivisie appearances is Jan Kromkamp, followed closely by many long-serving Dutch league defenders and midfielders.

--- Famous Players
  • Johan Cruyff
  • Marco van Basten
  • Dennis Bergkamp
  • Arjen Robben
  • Ruud van Nistelrooy
  • Frank Rijkaard
  • Ronald Koeman
  • Jaap Stam
  • Robin van Persie
  • Huntelaar
  • Memphis Depay
  • Steven Bergwijn
--- Timeline
1954 Professional football is legalized in the Netherlands.
1956 The Eredivisie is founded; Ajax wins the first title.
1970 Feyenoord becomes the first Dutch club to win the European Cup.
1971 Ajax begins its legendary run of three consecutive European Cups.
1988 PSV wins the European Cup, completing a treble.
2010 Twente wins its first and only Eredivisie title.
2023 Feyenoord wins the Eredivisie title with a dominant season.
References:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eredivisie
https://www.knvb.nl/
https://www.rsssf.org

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