Eerste Divisie

The Eerste Divisie (English: First Division) is the second-highest division of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie via a promotion/relegation system.

Related Topics:
Eerste Divisie - English - Division - Football - Netherlands - Eredivisie - Promotion - Relegation

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The Eerste Divisie consists of 20 clubs, who play each other in a double round-robin league, with each club playing the other club home and away. Each club plays each other club once in the first half of the season before the league takes a winter break around the Christmas and New Year's holiday season. The second half of the season sees the same fixtures as the first half, with the stadiums changed, although the two halves are not played in the same order.

Related Topics:
Christmas - New Year's

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At the end of each season, the champion of the Eerste Divisie is automatically promoted to the Eredivisie. Six other clubs enter the Nacompetitie, a promotion/relegation playoff that includes the 16th- and 17th-place clubs in the Eredivisie. The following teams qualify for the Nacompetitie:

Related Topics:
Eerste Divisie - Eredivisie - Nacompetitie

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• The club with the best record in the "first period" of the season (after 8 rounds).
• The club with the best record in the "second period" of the season (rounds 9-16).
• The club with the best record in the "third period" of the season (rounds 17-24).
• The club with the best record in the "fourth period" of the season (rounds 25-32).
• The remaining spots are filled at season's end by the highest-placed clubs that have not already earned automatic promotion or qualified for the Nacompetitie.

If the club that wins a period has qualified for the Nacompetitie by winning a previous period, its place is filled by the next-best club in that period that has not already qualified. Usually, the clubs that qualify for the Nacompetitie turn out to be the 2nd- through 7th-placed clubs in the final table.

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The Nacompetitie is divided into two groups of four clubs each, with one Eredivisie club and three Eerste Divisie clubs. Each group winner will play in the Eredivisie the next season, while the other three will play in the Eerste Divisie.

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Teams are not relegated from the Eerste Divisie, but Hoofdklasse (the main amateur league and the third tier of Dutch football) clubs can be promoted to the Eerste Divisie.

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Eerste Divisie: Eerste Divisie champions ►