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2025–26 Challenger Pro League

Football league season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2025–26 season of the Challenger Pro League began in August 2025 and is scheduled to end in May 2026. It is the fourth season under its new name after being renamed from First Division B.

Season2025–26
ChampionsBeveren
PromotedBeveren
Kortrijk
Lommel
RelegatedRWDM Brussels
Olympic Charleroi
Quick facts Season, Champions ...
Challenger Pro League
Season2025–26
ChampionsBeveren
PromotedBeveren
Kortrijk
Lommel
RelegatedRWDM Brussels
Olympic Charleroi
Matches97
Goals269 (2.77 per match)
All statistics correct as of 2 November 2025.
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Originally, as per the vote of February 2025, the members of the Pro League had voted that the U23-teams playing in this division could not be relegated. This meant that in case one or two U23 teams ended in the relegation spots, the next highest non-U23 team would be relegated instead, unless a U23 of the same wing (ACFF: Francophone, VV: Flemish) ended in a promotion spot in the 2025–26 Belgian Division 1. In March 2026, the Belgian Competition Authority rules that this was an illegal and unfair measure compared to the non-U23 teams and that the Pro League was forced to pay a yearly fine of 12 million Euros until the rule was abolished. On 31 March 2026, the Pro League voted to abolish the rule from the 2026–27 season, but replaced it with a rule that, in case one or two U23 teams are relegated, replacement U23 team(s) should be promoted from the respective wing(s), to always keep the number of U23 teams in the division at a minimum of four. This would mean that newly promoted U23 teams, as a result of this rule, could be promoted instead of the (non-U23) amateur champions in their wing, despite ending much lower in the standings. The amateur organisations from both the Flemish and Francophone wings will now need to vote on this decision, and in case it is rejected, the Pro League will need to reconvene. Furthermore, the Pro League is investigating provisional measures so that non-U23 teams that would be relegated in the 2025–26 Challenger Pro League despite ending above a U23 team, do not have to be relegated this season. As a result of this, since the end of March 2026, it is unclear which (if any) team(s) will be relegated this season. [1]

Team changes

This season, two teams will be automatically promoted to Belgian Pro League and promotion play-off winner will be matched against last placed top tier team with no direct relegation due to top tier's expansion to 18 teams from 2026–27 onwards.

Incoming

  • Olympic Charleroi and Jong KAA Gent were promoted from the 2024–25 Belgian Division 1, respectively as ACFF (Francophone) and VV (Flemish) champions. Olympic Charleroi return to the second tier after 17 years absence, while Jong KAA Gent make their debut at this level.
  • Beerschot and Kortrijk were relegated from the 2024–25 Belgian Pro League. Beerschot immediately returned after just one season at the top level, while Kortrijk had been continuously at this level since 2008, ending their streak after 17 seasons.

Outgoing

Name change

  • RWDM announced on 6 June 2025 that it would change name to Daring Brussels, a reference to the former now defunct club Daring Club de Bruxelles.[2] However, following large protests by the fans, the club reinstated the letters RWDM and renamed itself again just one month later, to RWDM Brussels.[3]
  • Lokeren-Temse announced on 1 July 2025 that it would change its name to KSC Lokeren, reverting to the original name by which the former club KSC Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen was initially known. While maintaining close cooperation with neighbors Temse, the two municipalities diverged in their football club support, with the supporters of Temse predominantly choosing to support SV Blauw Wit Temse, a club founded in 2020 when KSV Temse and KSC Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen merged to form the current team.[4]

Controversy about U23 participation and status

By the end of February 2025, the Pro League voted in favor of a new competition format for the coming seasons, with part of the haggling between club presidents resulting in a new rule for the then ongoing season (2024–25 Challenger Pro League) which entered with immediate effect, stating that a minimum of four U23 would always need to be present in the Challenger Pro League. At the time of the decision, there were still seven matchdays to play and Jong Genk was in a relegation spot, but due to this rule the club was anyhow spared of relegation. In the end, Jong Genk did finish in a relegation spot and was officially reported as being relegated, due to the fact that the new proposal had not yet passed all instances for approval. By the end of June approval was given and the club was officially spared. On 1 July 2025 however, Francs Borains, Lokeren and Seraing together launched a formal appeal against the reform citing it unfair that U23 cannot be relegated whilst non-U23 teams can. Meanwhile the new calendar, including Jong Genk, was already released on 3 July 2025.[5] The Belgian Competition Authority ruled that they had a fair point, but somehow still ruled against them. Another similar appeal by Belgian champions Union SG is still open. On 9 October 2025, Francs Borains, Lokeren, and Seraing launched a new appeal, now with the Belgian Authority for Sports Arbitration.[6]

In March 2026, the Belgian Competition Authority rules that this was an illegal and unfair measure compared to the non-U23 teams and that the Pro League was forced to pay a yearly fine of 12 million Euros until the rule was abolished. On 31 March 2026, the Pro League voted to abolish the rule from the 2026–27 season, but replaced it with a rule that, in case one or two U23 teams are relegated, replacement U23 team(s) should be promoted from the respective wing(s), to always keep the number of U23 teams in the division at a minimum of four. This would mean that newly promoted U23 teams, as a result of this rule, could be promoted instead of the (non-U23) amateur champions in their wing, despite ending much lower in the standings.

The amateur organisations from both the Flemish and Francophone wings will now need to vote on this decision, and in case it is rejected, the Pro League will need to reconvene. Furthermore, the Pro League is investigating provisional measures so that non-U23 teams that would be relegated in the 2025–26 Challenger Pro League despite ending above a U23 team, do not have to be relegated this season.

As a result of this, since the end of March 2026, it is unclear which (if any) team(s) will be relegated this season.[1]

Team information

Stadiums and locations

Locations of the 2025–26 Challenger Pro League teams

Regular season

League table

More information Pos, Team ...
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Beveren (C, P) 32 28 4 0 74 23 +51 88 Promoted to Pro League
2 Kortrijk (P) 32 21 4 7 59 33 +26 67
3 Beerschot 32 19 7 6 52 31 +21 64 Qualification for promotion play-offs
4 RFC Liège 32 16 5 11 44 39 +5 53
5 Lommel (P) 32 15 8 9 59 46 +13 53
6 Patro Eisden Maasmechelen 32 14 9 9 44 40 +4 51
7 Eupen 32 12 11 9 44 36 +8 47
8 Lokeren 32 10 12 10 45 45 0 42
9 Jong KAA GentU23[a] 32 12 5 15 42 51 −9 41
10 Lierse 32 10 8 14 35 42 −7 38
11 Seraing 32 8 11 13 37 44 −7 35
12 Francs Borains 32 9 8 15 33 47 −14 34[b]
13 RSCA FuturesU23[a] 32 7 10 15 46 55 −9 31
14 Jong GenkU23[a] 32 7 10 15 42 59 −17 31
15 Club NXTU23[a] 32 5 6 21 33 55 −22 21
16 Olympic Charleroi (R) 32 3 7 22 26 68 −42 16 Relegated to Belgian Division 1
17 RWDM Brussels[c] (R) 32 9 9 14 50 54 −4 33[d]
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Source: Challenger Pro League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Matches won; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Away matches won; 6) Away goal difference; 7) Away goals made.[13]
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. [a]
    Ineligible for promotion or promotion play-offs; During the season, U23-teams also could not be relegated unless a U23-team from the same wing (ACFF/VV) finished in the top three of Division 1. However towards the end of the season, first the BMA (Belgian Competition Authority) had ruled that it was illegal to make some teams ineligible for relegation while others could be relegated, penalizing the Pro League (organization of professional football teams) with a yearly 12 million Euro fine as long as they kept the rule in place. Then, at the end of the season, the BMA intervened and abolished the rule themselves, overriding the authority of the Pro League by citing urgency. The urgency in this case being the precarious financial state of RWDM Brussels, which claimed to have found an investor who was willing to take over the club and prevent it from going bankrupt, under the condition that the club remained at the second level and did not get relegated to the amateur levels. As a result, with the rule abolished, RWDM Brussels would have remained in the Challenger Pro League and 16th-place finisher Club NXT would have been relegated instead.[8] Two weeks later, RWDM Brussels was confirmed on appeal not to receive a professional football licence and hence was relegated to the Belgian Division 1, which meant Club NXT was spared after all.[9] Another few weeks later, to avoid the fine, the Pro League voted to abolish the rule that prevented U23-teams to be relegated from the 2026-27 season. This puts the whole reform (removal of playoffs and return to 18 teams) under uncertainty, as this was allegedly voted as one package, and legal proceedings to reverse the decision have been started.[10]
  2. [b]
    For not complying with the rules of financial stability, in February 2025 it was announced that Francs Borains were to be deducted 1 point from the start of the 2025–26 season.[7]
  3. [c]
    RWDM was not granted a license for either First Division B or Division 1 for the 2026-27 season. As a result, the club is relegated to the Second Division and is considered to have finished last. As a result, Club NXT was spared of relegation.[11]
  4. [d]
    After already having been penalized with one point for the coming 2026–27 season, on 3 March 2026 RWDM Brussels was also penalized three points with immediate effect for not being able to prove that certain debts had been paid before the deadline of 2 March 2026.[12]

Positions by round

The table lists the positions of teams after each round, with postponed matches and points deductions included only when they occur. Teams with fewer matches played are shown with their position underlined, with each line representing one fewer match.

  • Midway through the previous season, Francs Borains was penalized one point for not complying with financial fair-play.[7]
  • The match between Jong Genk and RSCA Futures of 8 November (matchday 13) was postponed to 9 December (between matchdays 16 and 17) as Jong Genk had four players selected for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[14]
  • On 15 February 2026 (matchday 25), the match between Jong KAA Gent and Olympic Charleroi was stopped after 53 minutes at a score of 1–1 due to excessive snow.[15] The day after, it was decided the match was to be continued from minute 53 and will be played on 24 February 2026, between matchdays 26 and 27.[16]
  • On 21 February 2026 (matchday 26), the match between Seraing and Kortrijk was postponed for safety reasons as there was a neighbouring restaurant on fire.[17] A few weeks later, during matchday 29, Kortrijk was awarded a 0–3 forfeit away win as Seraing was deemed not to have done enough to allow the match to be played.[18]
  • On 3 March 2026 (between matchdays 27 and 28), RWDM Brussels was penalized three points for being unable to prove payment of debts.[12]

Colored cells indicate promotion (green), participation in promotion play-offs (yellow), or relegation play-offs (red). Note that U23 teams are ineligible for promotion and playoffs, and the coloring is adjusted accordingly. Furthermore, these teams can only relegate if at the same time another U23 team from the same wing (ACFF or VV) qualifies for promotion from the league below, or if the mother club is relegated from the level above, in which case the U23 would automatically take up one of the relegation spots as U23 teams always have to remain at least one level below their mother club. In the table below, it is assumed that the U23 teams will stay up, and hence the two lowest non-U23 teams are assumed to be relegated.

More information Team ╲ Round, Beveren ...
Team ╲ Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031323334
Beveren3222111111111111111111111111111111
Kortrijk2111222222222222222222222222222222
Beerschot5665433333333333333344333433333333
RFC Liège16937666654444454576566646556666654
Lommel7354344445655666644433465344444445
Patro Eisden Maasmechelen61143777566777545467655554665555566
Eupen4596555777566777755787777787777777
Lokeren1314161613151515121310101110989899999989991099988
Jong KAA Gent[a]17711998999998881010108878889878888899
Lierse151612141511121111121313101111988 91010101111111111111091010101010
Seraing12151512121414141515151515151515151515151514151515151513121111111111
Francs Borains10889111313131414141414121012121212121212121212121314141413121212
RWDM Brussels8410888988888991211111111111110101010101011111212131313
RSCA Futures[a]14101113141210101011121213141413141414141413141314131212131315151514
Jong Genk[a]11131410101011121310111112131314131313131315131413141415151514141415
Club NXT[a]9121315161616161616161617171717171717171716161616161616161616161616
Olympic Charleroi17171717171717171717171716161616161616161617171717171717171717171717
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  1. [a]
    ineligible for promotion and playoffs. Can only be relegated if they finish in a relegation spot, and at the same time, in the 2025–26 Division 1, a U23 team from the same wing (ACFF or VV) qualifies for promotion.
Source: vbal4.be

Results

More information Home \ Away, BEV ...
Home \ Away BEV KOR BEE LOM RFC PEM EUP LOK GNT LIE SER FRB RWD GNK AND NXT OLC
Beveren 1–0 4–2 2–0 4–0 2–1 1–1 1–0 3–0 1–0 2–1 1–0 3–2 1–0 2–1 2–1 2–0
Kortrijk 1–3 1–0 4–2 3–1 2–0 1–0 3–2 2–0 1–0 1–0 2–0 3–1 4–1 5–2 1–1 3–1
Beerschot 1–1 1–2 2–1 3–0 0–2 1–1 1–0 1–2 1–0 0–0 4–1 1–1 1–0 4–2 2–1 2–1
Lommel 2–2 1–1 1–2 0–1 1–1 3–2 3–1 2–0 4–3 0–1 3–1 3–2 1–2 2–0 0–1 3–0
RFC Liège 1–2 2–0 0–1 1–0 0–2 2–1 0–1 0–2 2–1 2–0 3–1 4–3 5–0 1–1 3–2 2–1
Patro Eisden Maasmechelen 1–4 1–0 0–4 0–2 1–1 0–1 2–1 2–1 2–1 2–2 4–0 1–0 4–4 0–0 2–1 1–0
Eupen 1–2 1–0 3–3 1–2 2–0 0–0 1–1 4–0 0–1 0–0 1–1 2–2 2–1 1–0 2–1 2–2
Lokeren 1–2 1–1 0–0 2–3 0–1 1–1 3–3 4–1 2–0 1–1 2–2 1–3 2–2 4–2 3–2 1–1
Jong KAA Gent 2–4 2–3 1–1 2–2 0–2 2–1 2–1 1–3 0–0 3–1 1–0 0–2 0–0 0–1 3–2 1–3[a]
Lierse 0–2 0–0 1–2 4–4 1–2 1–2 3–2 1–1 1–3 0–1 0–2 2–0 2–1 1–0 2–1 0–0
Seraing 1–2 0–3 FF[b] 1–2 2–3 2–2 2–0 0–1 1–1 0–2 1–1 4–0 3–1 2–2 1–2 1–0 3–1
Francs Borains 0–2 4–1 0–2 0–0 2–0 2–0 0–3 1–0 2–0 0–1 0–0 0–0 2–2 3–3 1–0 0–1
RWDM Brussels 0–2 1–2 0–1 3–3 0–3 2–4 2–2 1–2 1–0 1–1 5–0 1–3 1–1 2–1 3–1 3–3
Jong Genk 1–2 1–3 0–2 0–2 2–0 1–4 2–0 2–2 1–1 2–3 0–0 3–1 0–2 3–2[c] 0–0 3–4
RSCA Futures 0–5 1–3 0–2 2–2 0–0 0–0 0–1 1–2 1–2 2–2 2–2 2–0 2–2 2–1 2–2 5–0
Club NXT 2–2 2–0 3–1 0–2 0–2 2–3 0–1 1–2 0–4 0–1 1–0 1–1 0–1 1–2 0–5 1–1
Olympic Charleroi 0–5 0–3 1–2 1–2 1–1 0–0 0–1 0–1 1–4 0–1 2–4 0–3 0–2 1–2 0–2 0–3
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Source: Flashscore
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
  1. [a]
    Match stopped on 15 February 2026 at a score of 1–1 with 53 minutes played due to excessive snow. The match was continued two weeks later on 27 February 2026.
  2. [b]
    Match initially postponed on 21 February 2026 due to a fire at a neighbouring restaurant. Later, Kortrijk was awarded a forfeit win as Seraing had not done enough to allow the match to be played.[18]
  3. [c]
    The match between Jong Genk and RSCA Futures of 8 November (matchday 13) was postponed to 9 December (between matchdays 16 and 17) as Jong Genk had four players selected for the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup.[14]

Promotion play-offs

Promotion/relegation play-offs

The promotion/relegation play-offs will be contested by the four highest-eligible finishers who are not already promoted directly. Normally, this will be the teams in positions 3 to 6 in the 2025–26 Challenger Pro League, unless one of the U23-teams would end up in the top six positions, in which case the next eligible team will take their spot. These four teams are to meet in a knockout tournament with both quarter-finals and semi-finals over two legs, and the highest season finisher always has home advantage in the return leg. The winner of the semi-finals will play the 16th place finisher of the 2025–26 Belgian Pro League over two legs. The Belgian Pro League team will have home advantage in the return leg; the winner of the final will qualify to play in the 2026–27 Belgian Pro League, with the loser playing in the 2026–27 Challenger Pro League.

Bracket

Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
6Patro Eisden Maasmechelen123
16Dender202
3Beerschot (a.e.t.)134
3Beerschot1125Lommel303
5Lommel336
5Lommel325
4RFC Liège011

Quarter-finals

More information Patro Eisden Maasmechelen, 1–1 ...
Patro Eisden Maasmechelen1–1Beerschot
  • Brahic 90+3'
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Gemeentelijk Sportparkstadion, Maasmechelen
More information Beerschot, 3–2 (a.e.t.) ...
Beerschot3–2 (a.e.t.)Patro Eisden Maasmechelen
 Report
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Referee: Simon Bourdeaud'Hui

Beerschot won 4–3 on aggregate.

More information Lommel, 3–0 ...
Lommel3–0RFC Liège
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More information RFC Liège, 1–2 ...
RFC Liège1–2Lommel
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Lommel won 5–1 on aggregate.

Semi-finals

More information Lommel, 3–1 ...
Lommel3–1Beerschot
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Soevereinstadion, Lommel
More information Beerschot, 1–3 ...
Beerschot1–3Lommel
 Report
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Lommel won 6–2 on aggregate.

Finals

More information Lommel, 3–2 ...
Lommel3–2Dender
 Report
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Soevereinstadion, Lommel
Attendance: 6,090
Referee: Wesli De Cremer
More information Dender, 0–0 ...
Dender0–0Lommel
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Lommel won 3–2 on aggregate.

Season statistics

Top scorers

As of 6 November 2025.[19]
More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Belgium Lennart Mertens Beveren 8
2 France Gaëtan Robail RWDM Brussels 7
3 Guadeloupe Thierry Ambrose Kortrijk 6
Senegal Oumar Diouf RFC Liège
Belgium Lucas Schoofs Lommel
6 Cameroon Aaron Bibout Jong Genk 5
Ghana Isaac Nuhu Eupen
Belgium Leandro Rousseau Patro Eisden Maasmechelen
Belgium Jannes Van Hecke Beveren
10 Madagascar Bryan Adinany Lierse 4
Belgium Mohamed Salah Lommel
Netherlands Ralf Seuntjens Lommel
Central African Republic Usman Simbakoli RWDM Brussels
Belgium Yentl Van Genechten Eupen
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3 goals (14 players)
2 goals (28 players)
1 goal (63 players)
1 own goal (5 players)
2 own goals (1 player)

Number of teams by provinces

More information Number of teams, Province or region ...
Number of teams Province or region Team(s)
3 East FlandersBeveren, Jong KAA Gent and Lokeren
LiègeEupen, RFC Liège and Seraing
LimburgJong Genk, Lommel and Patro Eisden Maasmechelen
2 AntwerpBeerschot and Lierse
BrusselsRSCA Futures and RWDM Brussels
HainautFrancs Borains and Olympic Charleroi
West FlandersClub NXT and Kortrijk
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Notes

See also

References

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