Eredivisie (Dutch top football division)
The Eredivisie is the highest professional football league in the Netherlands, formed in 1956. It comprises 18 clubs, uses promotion/relegation with the Eerste Divisie, and is noted for youth development.
Overview
The Eredivisie is the premier professional football competition in the Netherlands. Established in 1956 when Dutch football moved to a nationwide professional structure, the league is organised as a professional league played primarily from late summer to spring. Modern seasons typically feature 18 clubs in a double round-robin format, with each side playing 34 matches.
Format and competition
Teams receive three points for a win and one for a draw. At season's end the lowest-placed clubs face relegation to, and promotion from, the second tier (the Eerste Divisie) through automatic spots and promotion playoffs. The league champion usually enters the UEFA Champions League qualification path, while other high-ranking clubs may qualify for the Europa League or Europa Conference League.
Notable clubs and records
- AFC Ajax is the most successful club in Eredivisie history, claiming the greatest number of national titles.
- PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord are the other traditional top clubs, each with multiple domestic championships and strong followings.
- The league also features smaller clubs that periodically challenge the traditional big three and develop local talent.
History and achievements
Before 1956 Dutch teams competed in regional competitions and a national championship decided by playoff. The creation of the Eredivisie marked the start of professional football in the country. Dutch clubs had significant international success in the 1970s and 1980s: Ajax won multiple European Cups with a style associated with "Total Football," Feyenoord lifted the European Cup in 1970, and PSV won Europe’s top trophy in 1988.
Style, development and influence
The Eredivisie is widely recognised for prioritising technical development and attacking football. Academies such as Ajax’s De Toekomst have produced generations of players who moved to larger European leagues. The league’s emphasis on coaching education and youth systems contributes to a reputation for nurturing tactical intelligence and ball skills, even as clubs often sell top talent to balance finances.
European context and significance
UEFA coefficient rankings for the league have varied over time; in some seasons the Eredivisie has been ranked within the top ten European leagues, reflecting results in continental competitions and the health of its clubs in Europe (UEFA ranking). While television revenue and budgets are more modest than in the biggest European leagues, the Eredivisie remains an important platform for player development, domestic competition and fan culture within Dutch football.
UEFA Five-Year Ranking
Ranking in the UEFA Five-Year Ranking:
(previous year's ranking in brackets). The abbreviations CL, EL and ECL after the country coefficients indicate the number of representatives in the 2021/22 season of the Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League respectively.
- 08
(08) Belgium 
Belgium (league, cup) - Coefficient: 37.900 - CL: 2, EL: 1, ECL: 2 - 09 (09) Ukraine
Ukraine (league, cup) - Coefficient: 36.100 - CL: 2, EL: 1, ECL: 2 - 10th
(11) Netherlands 
Netherlands (league, cup) - Coefficient: 35.750 - CL: 2, EL: 1, ECL: 2 - 11th
(10) 
Turkey (league, cup) - Coefficient: 33.600 - CL: 2, EL: 1, ECL: 2 - 12th (12) Austria
Austria (league, cup) - Coefficient: 32.925 - CL: 2, EL: 1, ECL: 2
Status: End of the European Cup season 2019/20
The Eredivisie is currently ranked eighth in UEFA's five-year rankings, which determine the starting and qualifying places for European competitions. Accordingly, the "Eredivisie" is entitled to one direct starting place and one place for qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. In addition, there are three qualifying places for the UEFA Europa League. The winner of the KNVB Cup, which is played in parallel with the UEFA Europa League, will also receive a place in the Europa League.
Mode
Under a reform of the Eredivisie that came into force in the 2005/06 season, play-off matches are held after the end of a season. Initially, these matches also determined the participants in the Champions League, but since the 2008/09 season only the clubs in fifth to eighth place in the final table have taken part in the play-offs. A place in the Europa League is played out between them. All play-off matches are played with a first leg and a second leg.
Related articles
Author
AlegsaOnline.com Eredivisie (Dutch top football division) Leandro Alegsa
URL: https://en.alegsaonline.com/art/31861
Sources
- uefa.com : "UEFA rankings for club competitions"