2025–26 KAA Gent season
KAA Gent 2025–26 football season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 2025–26 season is the 126th season in the history of the KAA Gent as a football club, and the 37th consecutive season in Belgian Pro League. In addition to the domestic league, the team participated in the Belgian Cup.
ManagerIvan Leko
(until 8 December 2025)
Rik De Mil
(from 10 December 2025)
(until 8 December 2025)
Rik De Mil
(from 10 December 2025)
StadiumPlanet Group Arena
| 2025–26 season | |
|---|---|
| Manager | Ivan Leko (until 8 December 2025) Rik De Mil (from 10 December 2025) |
| Stadium | Planet Group Arena |
| All statistics correct as of 25 May 2025. | |
Squad
- As of 3 February 2026[1]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Transfers
In
| Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK |  Kjell Peersman |
 PSV Eindhoven |
Transfer | 25 July 2025 | [2] |
| DF | Siebe Van der Heyden |
 RCD Mallorca |
Transfer | 25 July 2025 | [3] |
| MF |  Abdelkahar Kadri |
K.V. Kortrijk |
Transfer | 30 July 2025 | [4] |
| DF |  Maksim Paskotši |
 Grasshoppers |
Undisclosed | 4 August 2025 | [5] |
| MF |  Michał Skóraś |
Club Brugge |
3 million | 6 September 2025 | [6] |
| DF |  Jean-Kévin Duverne |
 FC Nantes |
Loan | 8 September 2025 | [7] |
| FW |  Hong Hyun-seok |
 1. FSV Mainz 05 |
Loan | 14 January 2026 | [8] |
| FW |  Moctar Diop |
 Lillestrøm SK |
Transfer | 23 January 2026 | [9] |
| DF |  Daiki Hashioka |
 Slavia Prague |
Loan | 2 February 2026 | [10] |
Out
| Pos. | Player | Transferred to | Fee | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DF |  Hugo Gambor |
ES Troyes AC |
Loan | 27 August 2025 | [11] |
Belgian Pro League
Regular season
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Club Brugge | 30 | 20 | 3 | 7 | 59 | 36 | +23 | 63 | Qualification for the Champions' play-offs |
| 3 | Sint-Truiden | 30 | 18 | 3 | 9 | 47 | 35 | +12 | 57 | |
| 4 | Gent | 30 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 49 | 43 | +6 | 45 | |
| 5 | Mechelen | 30 | 12 | 9 | 9 | 39 | 37 | +2 | 45 | |
| 6 | Anderlecht | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 43 | 39 | +4 | 44 |
Source: Jupiler Pro League (in Dutch)
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 scored; 8) Play-off.[12]
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 scored; 8) Play-off.[12]
Matches
| 2 August 2025 2 | Gent | 1–0 | La Louvière | Ghent |
| 20:45 |
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Stadium: Planet Group Arena Attendance: 10,412 Referee: Nathan Verboomen |
| 9 August 2025 3 | Gent | 2–3 | Union Saint-Gilloise | Ghent |
| 20:45 CEST | Stadium: Ghelamco Arena |
| 16 August 2025 4 | Mechelen | 1–1 | KAA Gent | AFAS Stadion |
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Report |
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Attendance: 11,905 Referee: Nicolas Laforge |
| 14 September 2025 6 | Antwerp | 1–2 | Gent | Antwerp |
| 13:30 CEST (UTC+2) |
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Stadium: Bosuilstadion Attendance: 13,650 Referee: Lawrence Visser |
| 19 September 2025 7 | Gent | 3–0 | F.C.V. Dender E.H. | Planet Group Arena |
| Report | Attendance: 10,923 Referee: Jan Boterberg |
| 23 September 2025 8 | Anderlecht | 1–0 | KAA Gent | |
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Report |
| 28 September 2025 9 | Cercle Brugge | 2–4 | Gent | Jan Breydel Stadium |
| Report | Attendance: 5,061 Referee: Bert Put |
| 3 October 2025 10 | Gent | 2–1 | Charleroi | Ghent |
| 20:45 UTC+2 | Stadium: Planet Group Arena Attendance: 12,412 Referee: Lawrence Visser |
| 19 October 2025 11 | SV Zulte Waregem | 4–1 | Gent | Elindus Arena |
| Report |
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Attendance: 9,577 Referee: Erik Lambrechts |
| 25 October 2025 12 | Gent | 4–0 | Standard Liège | Planet Group Arena |
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Report | Attendance: 15,794 Referee: Nathan Verboomen |
| 2 November 2025 13 | OH Leuven | 4–0 | Gent | Den Dreef |
| Report |
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Attendance: 6,343 Referee: Wesli De Cremer |
| 9 November 2025 14 | Gent | 1–1 | KRC Genk | Planet Group Arena |
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Report |
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Attendance: 16,226 Referee: Jan Boterberg |
| 22 November 2025 15 | K.V.C. Westerlo | 0–0 | Gent | |
| Report | Attendance: 5,987 Referee: Bert Put |
| 30 November 2025 16 | KAA Gent | 1–2 | STVV | Planet Group Arena |
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Report | Attendance: 11,985 Referee: Lawrence Visser |
| 6 December 2025 17 | Union Saint-Gilloise | 1–1 | Gent | Brussels |
| 18:15 CET |
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Stadium: Joseph Marien Stadium Attendance: 6,373 Referee: Simon Bourdeaud'Hui |
| 14 December 2025 18 | Gent | 0–2 | Antwerp | Ghent |
| 13:30 CET (UTC+1) |
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Stadium: Planet Group Arena Attendance: 14,747 Referee: Nicolas Laforge |
| 27 December 2025 20 | Gent | 2–0 | K.V.C. Westerlo | Planet Group Arena |
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Report | Attendance: 10,838 Referee: Simon Bourdeaud'hui |
| 18 January 2026 21 | KAA Gent | 4–2 | Anderlecht | |
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Report |
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| 23 January 2026 22 | Standard Liège | 0–4 | Gent | Stade Maurice Dufrasne |
| Report | Attendance: 15,559 Referee: Lothar D'Hondt |
| 30 January 2026 23 | RAAL La Louvière | 1–1 | Gent | Easi Arena |
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Report |
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Attendance: 5,021 Referee: Massimiliano Ledda |
| 7 February 2026 24 | Gent | 1–3 | OH Leuven | Planet Group Arena |
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Report |
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Attendance: 12,465 Referee: Kevin Van Damme |
| 14 February 2026 25 | Charleroi | 2–3 | Gent | Charleroi |
| 18:15 UTC+2 | Report | Stadium: Stade du Pays de Charleroi Attendance: 6,112 Referee: Erik Lambrechts |
| 20 February 2026 26 | Gent | 0–1 | Cercle Brugge | Planet Group Arena |
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Report |
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Attendance: 13,072 Referee: Jan Boterberg |
| 1 March 2026 27 | KRC Genk | 3–0 | Gent | Cegeka Arena |
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Report | Attendance: 16,270 Referee: Nicolas Laforge |
| 8 March 2026 28 | Gent | 3–1 | Mechelen | Planet Group Arena |
| Report |
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Attendance: 16,644 Referee: Lothar D'Hondt |
| 13 March 2026 29 | Gent | 2–0 | Zulte Waregem | Planet Group Arena |
| Report | Attendance: 15,754 Referee: Simon Bourdeaud'hui |
| 22 March 2026 30 | F.C.V. Dender E.H. | 1–3 | Gent | Dender Football Complex |
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Report | Attendance: 3,214 Referee: Wesli De Cremer |
Champions' play-offs
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Sint-Truiden | 10 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 11 | +3 | 43 | Qualification for the Europa League play-off round[a] |
| 4 | Anderlecht | 10 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 23 | −7 | 33 | Qualification for the Europa League second qualifying round |
| 5 | Gent (O) | 10 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 14 | −10 | 29 | Qualification for the European competition play-off |
| 6 | Mechelen | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 24 | −15 | 29 |
Source: Jupiler Pro League (in Dutch), Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points without (possible) half points added due to rounding; 3) Regular season finishing position.[13]
(O) Play-off winners
Notes:
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points without (possible) half points added due to rounding; 3) Regular season finishing position.[13]
(O) Play-off winners
Notes:
- Union SG won the 2025–26 Belgian Cup and qualified for the Champions League through finishing in the top two, the Europa League play-off round berth was therefore transferred to Sint-Truiden.
Updated to match(es) played on 19 April 2026. Source: [citation needed]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss
Matches
| 6 April 2026 1 | KAA Gent | 1–1 | Mechelen | Planet Group Arena |
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Report |
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Attendance: 13,105 Referee: Jan Boterberg |
| 12 April 2026 2 | Anderlecht | 3–1 | KAA Gent | Constant Vanden Stock Stadium |
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Report | Attendance: 15,029 Referee: Lawrence Visser |
| 19 April 2026 3 | KAA Gent | 0–0 | STVV | Planet Group Arena |
| Report | Attendance: 12,257 Referee: Jasper Vergoote |
| 22 April 2026 4 | Union Saint-Gilloise | 0–0 | Gent | Brussels |
| 20:30 CEST | Report | Stadium: Joseph Marien Stadium Attendance: Joseph Marien Stadium Referee: Lothar D'Hondt |
| 26 April 2026 5 | KAA Gent | 0–2 | Club Brugge | Planet Group Arena |
| Report | Referee: Erik Lambrechts |
| 3 May 2026 6 | Mechelen | 1–0 | KAA Gent | Achter de Kazerne |
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Report | Referee: Simon Bourdeaud'hui |
| 10 May 2026 7 | KAA Gent | 1–1 | Anderlecht | Planet Group Arena |
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Report | Referee: Nathan Verboomen |
| 21 May 2026 9 | KAA Gent | 0–0 | Union Saint-Gilloise | Ghent |
| 13:30 CEST | Report | Stadium: Planet Group Arena Referee: Jasper Vergoote |
| 24 May 2026 10 | Club Brugge | 5–0 | KAA Gent | Jan Breydel Stadium |
| Report | Referee: Erik Lambrechts |
Belgian Cup
| 30 October 2025 Seventh round | Gent | 5–0 | Patro Eisden Maasmechelen | Gent |
| 20:30 CET |
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Report | Stadium: Planet Group Arena |
| 3 December 2025 Eighth round | Cercle Brugge | 1–3 | Gent | Bruges |
| 20:30 CET |
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Report |
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Stadium: Jan Breydel Stadium |
| 15 January 2026 Quarter–finals | Anderlecht | 1–0 | Gent | Anderlecht |
| 20:30 CET | Hazard  28' (pen.) |
Report | Stadium: Constant Vanden Stock Stadium |