2025–26 Tweede Divisie
Dutch football league season
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The 2025–26 Tweede Divisie season is the tenth edition of the Dutch third tier since ending its hiatus since the 1970–71 season and the 25th edition using the Tweede Divisie name.
| Season | 2025–26 |
|---|---|
| Dates | 16 August 2025 – 23 May 2026 |
| Matches | 279 |
| Goals | 910 (3.26 per match) |
← 2024–25 2026–27 →
All statistics correct as of 25 April 2026. | |
On 2 October 2017, representatives of amateur and professional football reached an agreement during the extraordinary general meeting of the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) regarding the path to renewal of the football pyramid.
During the extraordinary general meeting of 7 June 2018, an agreement was reached on the number of allowed reserve teams (belofteteams) in each division. For the Tweede Divisie, there are two. It was also decided that only two reserve teams would compete in the Tweede Divisie, with the remaining reserve teams participating in the new Under 21 Eredivisie. This is accompanied by its own relegation system.
After two extensions of the non-existent promotion/relegation system (due to Tweede Divisie clubs not having the economic capacity to compete in a fully professional league) in 2022, a decision was made to suspend the mandatory promotion/relegation system between the Eerste Divisie and Tweede Divisie for the next five to ten seasons for standard teams. The suspension does not apply to reserve teams. During the general meeting on 24 June 2022, it was announced that a proposal would be put forth for an admission arrangement to the Eerste Divisie.[1]
Overview before the season
The league distinguishes between first teams (standard team) of a football club and second teams, also known as a reserve team or reserve squad (teams starting with "Jong"). For this season, there are two reserve teams playing in the Tweede Divisie, namely Jong Sparta and Jong Almere City.
For promotion, the following applies:
- If the lowest-ranked reserve team in the Eerste Divisie finishes in 19th or 20th place, a reserve team will be promoted directly from the Tweede Divisie if it finishes in first or second place.
- If the lowest-ranked reserve team in the Eerste Divisie finishes between 11th and 18th place, and a reserve team becomes the champion of the Tweede Divisie, a play-off match will take place for one spot in the Eerste Divisie.
- If the lowest-ranked reserve team in the Eerste Divisie finishes in the top ten, there will be no promotion or relegation between the Eerste Divisie and Tweede Divisie.
For relegation, the following applies:
- The two standard teams that, based solely on the first teams, finish in 14th and 15th place, will play a relegation playoff with the period champions of the Derde Divisie for one spot in the Tweede Divisie.
- The standard team that finishes 16th, based solely on the first teams, will be relegated to the Derde Divisie.
- If the lowest-ranked reserve team in the Tweede Divisie finishes in 17th or 18th place, it will be directly relegated to the Under 21 competition.
- If the lowest-ranked reserve team in the Tweede Divisie finishes between 10th and 16th place, it will play a playoff match against the champion of the Under 21 competition for one spot in the Tweede Divisie.
- If the lowest-ranked reserve team in the Tweede Divisie finishes in the top nine, there will be no promotion or relegation between the Tweede Divisie and the Under 21 competition.
Teams
Team changes
| Promoted from 2024–25 Derde Divisie |
Relegated to 2025-26 Derde Divisie |
|---|---|
| Hoek IJsselmeervogels Kozakken Boys |
ADO '20 Noordwijk Scheveningen |
| Club | Location | Venue | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACV | Assen | Univé Sportpark | 3,000 |
| AFC | Amsterdam | Sportpark Goed Genoeg | 3,000 |
| Barendrecht | Barendrecht | Sportpark De Bongerd | 1,500 |
| Excelsior Maassluis | Maassluis | Sportpark Dijkpolder | 5,000 |
| GVVV | Veenendaal | Sportpark Panhuis | 4,500 |
| HHC | Hardenberg | Sportpark De Boshoek | 4,500 |
| Koninklijke HFC | Haarlem | Sportpark Spanjaardslaan | 1,500 |
| Hoek | Hoek | Sportpark Denoek | 2,500 |
| IJsselmeervogels | Spakenburg | Sportpark De Westmaat | 8,500 |
| Jong Almere City | Almere | Yanmar Stadion | 4,501 |
| Jong Sparta | Rotterdam | Het Kasteel | 11,000 |
| Katwijk | Katwijk | Sportpark De Krom | 6,000 |
| Kozakken Boys | Werkendam | Sportpark De Zwaaier | 3,000 |
| Quick Boys | Katwijk aan Zee | Sportpark Nieuw Zuid | 8,100 |
| Rijnsburgse Boys | Rijnsburg | Sportpark Middelmors | 6,100 |
| Spakenburg | Spakenburg | Sportpark De Westmaat | 8,500 |
| De Treffers | Groesbeek | Sportpark Zuid | 4,000 |
| RKAV Volendam | Volendam | KWABO-stadion | 6,500 |
Number of teams by province
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quick Boys[a] | 31 | 17 | 9 | 5 | 63 | 31 | +32 | 59 | |
| 2 | Hoek | 31 | 18 | 5 | 8 | 54 | 31 | +23 | 59 | |
| 3 | De Treffers | 31 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 58 | 34 | +24 | 58 | |
| 4 | HHC Hardenberg | 31 | 16 | 4 | 11 | 52 | 37 | +15 | 52 | |
| 5 | Spakenburg | 31 | 15 | 7 | 9 | 68 | 56 | +12 | 52 | |
| 6 | Rijnsburgse Boys | 31 | 14 | 8 | 9 | 65 | 51 | +14 | 50 | |
| 7 | Katwijk | 31 | 13 | 7 | 11 | 51 | 52 | −1 | 46 | |
| 8 | Jong Sparta | 31 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 67 | 61 | +6 | 45 | |
| 9 | Kozakken Boys | 31 | 12 | 7 | 12 | 40 | 49 | −9 | 43 | |
| 10 | Jong Almere City | 31 | 12 | 5 | 14 | 61 | 56 | +5 | 41 | |
| 11 | AFC | 31 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 40 | 48 | −8 | 41 | |
| 12 | GVVV | 31 | 12 | 5 | 14 | 46 | 58 | −12 | 41 | |
| 13 | Barendrecht | 31 | 12 | 4 | 15 | 55 | 75 | −20 | 40 | |
| 14 | RKAV Volendam | 31 | 12 | 3 | 16 | 43 | 50 | −7 | 39 | |
| 15 | Koninklijke HFC | 31 | 11 | 3 | 17 | 30 | 42 | −12 | 36 | |
| 16 | Excelsior Maassluis | 31 | 7 | 7 | 17 | 35 | 53 | −18 | 28 | Qualification for relegation play-offs |
| 17 | IJsselmeervogels | 31 | 8 | 3 | 20 | 40 | 59 | −19 | 27 | |
| 18 | ACV (Y) | 31 | 5 | 9 | 17 | 42 | 67 | −25 | 24 | Relegation to Derde Divisie |
Rules for classification: Season in progress: 1) Most points won; 2) Less points lost; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Alphabetical order; End of season: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head away goals scored; 7) Play-off if relevant for deciding champion, relegation or participating in a European league, otherwise by draw. 8) Penalty shoot-out (only after a play-off)
(Y) May at best reach relegation play-offs
Notes:
- Quick Boys were deducted 1 point for unsportsmanlike behavior.