Below you find a regionwise analysis of the Dutch league - which regions provided how many teams to the league, and titles won per region.
Information is prepared as follows:
- Name of the region (province) in Dutch.
- Population (2007, rounded to thousands).
- The number of participations in the national championship playoffs by teams
from the region, and between brackets the number of championships won, from
1898 to 1956.
From 1898 to 1950 the title was decided in a playoff between the winners of
2 to 6 regional leagues;
from 1950 to 1954 the title was decided in a playoff between the winners of
4 or 5 less strictly regionalised leagues;
in 1954/55 (the first season of professional football in the Netherlands)
the title was decided in a playoff between the winners of 4 'eerste klasses';
in 1955/56 the title was decide in a playoff between the top-2 of 2 'hoofd-
klasses'.
The emergency wartime championships of 1914/15 (won by Sparta in a playoff
against Vitesse) and 1939/40 (won by Feijenoord in a playoff ahead of Blauw
Wit, Heracles, Juliana and GVAV) are included.
In 1944/45 no championship was organised; in total 58 championships were
awarded in this period.
- Eredivisie: in 1956/57, a national first division, 'eredivisie' was set up
for the first time. For each club, the number of seasons in the eredivisie
from 1956/57 to 2009/10 (maximally 54) is indicated first, the number of
championships won from 1956/57 to 2008/09 (53 in all) is then given
between brackets.
In addition, for each region, all other teams that ever played professional
football within the KNVB are listed (the abandoned NBVB competition of 1954
is not included, and neither are those clubs that started the 1954/55 KNVB
amateur leagues and disappeared (usually through mergers) after the KNVB and
NBVB leagues merged) - so those clubs that never reached the 'eredivisie'.
This is done because there were never more than 3 professional levels (2
after the major league reform of 1971, when many clubs merged and others
forced out of the league), and Dutch professional football is essentially
'closed shop': no systematic promotion/relegation system from the amateur
ranks has ever existed except for the sixties. From time to time, clubs
disappear either voluntarily or through bankruptcy, and only occasionally
new clubs are voted in.
For all clubs that do not exist anymore, the reason and year of their
disappearance is given. There are 5 distinct reasons: bankruptcy,
merger, relegation, (voluntary) withdrawal, and finally forced removal
because of the 1971 reform.
- Totals: for each club, the sum of participations in either championship
playoffs (until 1956) and eredivisie (since 1956) as well as the total
number of Dutch championships (if any) is given.
- For all clubs founded by merger, all constituent clubs are treated as
distinct entities, with the data of the merger given in the note(s) at
the end of the regional overview. The first club given (A as in A merged
with B to form C) is the one whose league position was taken by the merger
club.
There are three exceptions to this:
1) the clubs DWS and DWS/A (the latter a merger of DWS and bvc Amsterdam
which later reverted to the name DWS) are considered as one entity;
2) the club FC Amsterdam as formed by the merger of DWS and Blauw Wit
and the same formed by the later inclusion of De Volewijckers are
considered as one entity;
3) the clubs Dordrecht '90 and SVV/Dordrecht '90 (the latter a merger of
Dordrecht '90 and SVV which took the league position of SVV but played
at Dordrecht and after 1 season reverted to the name Dordrecht '90)
are considered as one entity.
All clubs that went through name changes are considered the same entity
even if juridically they were not (e.g. PEC, PEC Zwolle, PEC Zwolle '82,
FC Zwolle). These name changes are not listed exhaustively.
At the bottom of the page, regionwise statistical summaries are presented.
Pop.: 486,000
Until 1956:
No Dutch championship won; 1 playoff participation by 1 club:
1 Achilles (Assen)
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
No Dutch championship won; no club from Drenthe ever played in the eredivisie.
2 clubs from Drenthe play(ed) professional football:
BV Emmen
Zwartemeer / SC Drente (Klazienaveen) [removed 1971]
Total
No Dutch championship won; 1 top level participation by 1 club:
1 Achilles (Assen)
Note: Zwartemeer were renamed SC Drente in 1966.
Pop.: 374,000
Until 1956:
The new province of Flevoland did not exist. No clubs from the region won
a Dutch championship, nor did one reach the playoff.
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
No Dutch championship won; no club from Flevoland ever played in the eredivisie.
1 club from Flevoland play(ed) professional football:
FC Omniworld (Almere)
Total
No Dutch championship won; no top level participation.
Pop.: 642,000
Until 1956:
No Dutch championship won; 10 playoff participations by 2 clubs:
9 Heerenveen
1 Frisia (Leeuwarden)
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
No Dutch championship won; 22 presences by 2 clubs:
18 Heerenveen
4 Cambuur Leeuwarden
No other club from Friesland played professional football.
Total
No Dutch championship won; 32 top level participations by 3 clubs:
27 Heerenveen
4 Cambuur Leeuwarden
1 Frisia (Leeuwarden)
Note: Cambuur Leeuwarden were known as Leeuwarden until 1964 and as Cambuur
from 1964 until 1989.
Pop.: 1,979,000
Until 1956:
No Dutch championship won; 18 playoff participations by 6 clubs:
7 Vitesse (Arnhem)
3 NEC (Nijmegen)
3 Victoria (Wageningen)
2 AGOVV (Apeldoorn)
2 GVC (Wageningen)
1 Quick (Nijmegen)
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
No Dutch championship won; 78 presences by 4 clubs:
34 NEC (Nijmegen)
25 Vitesse (Arnhem)
17 De Graafschap (Doetinchem)
2 Wageningen [bankrupt 1992]
2 other clubs from Gelderland play(ed) professional football:
AGOVV Apeldoorn
Rheden [relegated 1960]
Total
No Dutch championship won; 96 top level participations by 8 clubs:
37 NEC (Nijmegen)
32 Vitesse (Arnhem)
17 De Graafschap (Doetinchem)
3 Victoria (Wageningen)
2 AGOVV (Apeldoorn)
2 GVC (Wageningen)
2 Wageningen
1 Quick (Nijmegen)
Note: AGOVV (Apeldoorn) were removed 1971 but returned as AGOVV Apeldoorn
in 2003.
Pop.: 574,000
Until 1956:
1 Dutch championship won by 1 club; 23 playoff participations by 4 clubs:
13 ( 1) Be Quick (Groningen)
8 Velocitas (Groningen)
1 GVAV (Groningen)
1 Veendam
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
No Dutch championship won; 45 presences by 2 clubs:
43 GVAV / FC Groningen
2 Veendam
3 other clubs from Groningen played professional football:
Be Quick (Groningen) [withdrew 1964]
Oosterparkers (Groningen) [withdrew 1959]
Velocitas (Groningen) [relegated 1960]
Total
1 Dutch championship won by 1 club; 68 top level participations by 4 clubs:
44 GVAV / FC Groningen
13 ( 1) Be Quick (Groningen)
8 Velocitas (Groningen)
3 Veendam
Note: GVAV were renamed FC Groningen in 1971.
Pop.: 1,128,000
Until 1956:
2 Dutch championships won by 2 clubs; 8 playoff participations by 5 clubs:
3 MVV (Maastricht)
2 ( 1) Limburgia (Brunssum)
1 Juliana (Spekholzerheide)
1 Maurits (Geleen)
1 ( 1) Rapid JC (Heerlen)
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
No Dutch championship won; 131 presences by 7 clubs:
37 Roda JC (Kerkrade)
36 MVV (Maastricht)
19 FSC / Fortuna Sittard
17 VVV (Venlo)
12 Fortuna '54 (Geleen) [merged 1968]
6 Rapid JC (Heerlen) [merged 1962]
4 Sittardia (Sittard) [merged 1968]
2 other clubs from Limburg played professional football:
Limburgia (Brunssum) [removed 1971]
Roda Sport (Kerkrade) [merged 1962]
Total
2 Dutch championships won by 2 clubs; 139 top level participations by 10 clubs:
39 MVV (Maastricht)
37 Roda JC (Kerkrade)
19 FSC / Fortuna Sittard
17 VVV (Venlo)
12 Fortuna '54 (Geleen)
7 ( 1) Rapid JC (Heerlen)
4 Sittardia (Sittard)
2 ( 1) Limburgia (Brunssum)
1 Juliana (Spekholzerheide)
1 Maurits (Geleen)
Notes: Rapid '54 merged with Juliana to form Rapid JC in 1954;
Bleijerheide merged with Kerkrade to form Roda Sport in 1954;
Rapid JC merged with Roda Sport to form Roda JC in 1962;
Fortuna '54 merged with Sittardia to form FSC in 1968;
FSC changed name to Fortuna Sittard in 1979;
VVV were temporarily (1966-1985) known as FC VVV and changed
name to VVV-Venlo in 2003.
Pop.: 2,419,000
Until 1956:
9 Dutch championships won by 5 clubs; 46 playoff participations by 9 clubs:
12 ( 3) PSV (Eindhoven)
11 ( 3) Willem II (Tilburg)
10 ( 1) NAC (Breda)
5 ( 1) Eindhoven
3 ( 1) BVV ('s-Hertogenbosch, Den Bosch)
2 NOAD (Tilburg)
1 LONGA (Tilburg)
1 Velocitas (Breda)
1 Wilhelmina ('s-Hertogenbosch, Den Bosch)
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
18 Dutch championships won by 1 club; 182 presences by 10 clubs:
54 (18) PSV (Eindhoven)
43 NAC Breda
36 Willem II Tilburg
20 RKC Waalwijk
13 FC Den Bosch
5 RBC Roosendaal
4 NOAD (Tilburg) [removed 1971]
3 Eindhoven
2 BVV ('s-Hertogenbosch, Den Bosch) [merged 1967]
2 Helmond Sport
8 other clubs from Noord-Brabant play(ed) professional football:
Baronie (Breda) [removed 1971]
Brabantia (Eindhoven) [withdrew 1955]
DOSKO (Bergen op Zoom) [withdrew 1959]
Helmond [withdrew 1962]
LONGA (Tilburg) [withdrew 1965]
TOP Oss
De Valk (Valkenswaard) [relegated 1961]
Wilhelmina ('s-Hertogenbosch, Den Bosch) [merged 1967]
Total
27 Dutch championships won by 5 clubs; 228 top level participations by 13 clubs:
66 (21) PSV (Eindhoven)
53 ( 1) NAC Breda
47 ( 3) Willem II Tilburg
20 RKC Waalwijk
13 FC Den Bosch
8 ( 1) Eindhoven
6 NOAD (Tilburg)
5 ( 1) BVV ('s-Hertogenbosch, Den Bosch)
5 RBC Roosendaal
2 Helmond Sport
1 LONGA (Tilburg)
1 Velocitas (Breda)
1 Wilhelmina ('s-Hertogenbosch, Den Bosch)
Notes: BVV changed name to FC Den Bosch in 1965 in anticipation of
a merger with Wilhelmina which finally took place in 1967;
FC Den Bosch were temporarily (1988-1992) known as BVV Den Bosch;
Helmond Sport were known as Helmondia '55 until 1967;
RKC changed name to RKC Waalwijk in 1996;
RBC changed name to RBC Roosendaal in 1999;
Eindhoven changed name to FC Eindhoven in 2002;
NAC changed name to NAC Breda in 2003;
Willem II changed name to Willem II Tilburg in 2004.
Pop.: 2,613,000
Until 1956:
14 Dutch championships won by 5 clubs; 47 playoff participations by 13 clubs:
17 ( 8) Ajax (Amsterdam)
7 Blauw Wit (Amsterdam)
5 DWS (Amsterdam)
3 ( 1) Haarlem
3 Stormvogels (IJmuiden)
2 AFC (Amsterdam)
2 ( 2) RAP (Amsterdam)
2 ( 2) RCH (Haarlem / Heemstede)
2 VSV (Velsen)
1 EDO (Haarlem)
1 KFC (Koog aan de Zaan)
1 ( 1) De Volewijckers (Amsterdam)
1 Volharding (Amsterdam)
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
24 Dutch championships won by 3 clubs; 173 presences by 11 clubs:
54 (21) Ajax (Amsterdam)
32 ( 2) AZ (Alkmaar)
25 Volendam
18 Haarlem
14 Telstar (Velsen)
13 ( 1) DWS / DWS/A (Amsterdam) [merged 1972]
6 FC Amsterdam [bankrupt 1982]
6 Blauw Wit (Amsterdam) [merged 1972]
2 bvc Amsterdam [merged 1958]
2 De Volewijckers (Amsterdam) [merged 1974]
1 Alkmaar [merged 1967]
8 other clubs from Noord-Holland played professional football:
EDO (Haarlem) [removed 1971]
't Gooi / SC Gooiland (Hilversum) [removed 1971]
Hilversum [withdrew 1968]
KFC / FC Zaanstreek (Koog aan de Zaan) [merged 1967]
RCH (Heemstede) [removed 1971]
Stormvogels (IJmuiden) [merged 1963]
VSV (Velsen) [merged 1963]
ZFC (Zaandam) [removed 1971]
Total
38 Dutch championships won by 7 clubs; 220 top level participations by 19 clubs:
71 (29) Ajax (Amsterdam)
32 ( 2) AZ (Alkmaar)
25 Volendam
21 ( 1) Haarlem
18 ( 1) DWS / DWS/A (Amsterdam)
14 Telstar (Velsen)
13 Blauw Wit (Amsterdam)
6 FC Amsterdam
3 Stormvogels (IJmuiden)
3 ( 1) De Volewijckers (Amsterdam)
2 AFC (Amsterdam)
2 bvc Amsterdam
2 ( 2) RAP (Amsterdam)
2 ( 2) RCH (Haarlem / Heemstede)
2 VSV (Velsen)
1 Alkmaar
1 EDO (Haarlem)
1 KFC (Koog aan de Zaan)
1 Volharding (Amsterdam)
Notes: DWS merged with bvc Amsterdam to form DWS/A in 1958;
DWS/A were renamed DWS in 1962;
DWS merged with Blauw Wit to form FC Amsterdam in 1972;
FC Amsterdam merged with De Volewijckers in 1974;
KFC were renamed FC Zaanstreek in anticipation of a merger with ZFC
(which never took place) in 1964;
Alkmaar merged with FC Zaanstreek to form AZ '67 in 1967;
AZ '67 were renamed AZ in 1986;
VSV merged with Stormvogels to form Telstar in 1963; following a
cooperation with amateur side Stormvogels, Telstar changed name
name to Stormvogels Telstar Combinatie in 2001;
't Gooi were renamed SC Gooiland in 1965;
RCH (Racing Club Haarlem) were renamed RCH (Racing Club Heemstede) in
1965; they had actually moved from Haarlem to Heemstede in 1932.
Pop.: 1,116,000
Until 1956:
7 Dutch championships won by 3 clubs; 34 playoff participations by 7 clubs:
16 ( 4) Go Ahead (Deventer)
6 ( 2) Heracles (Almelo)
5 ( 1) Sportclub Enschede
4 Prinses Wilhelmina (Enschede)
1 Enschedese Boys (Enschede)
1 UD (Deventer)
1 ZAC (Zwolle)
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
No Dutch championship won; 103 presences by 5 clubs:
44 FC Twente (Enschede)
28 Go Ahead / Go Ahead Eagles (Deventer)
12 FC Zwolle
10 Heracles (Almelo)
9 Sportclub Enschede [merged 1965]
5 other clubs from Overijssel played professional football:
Enschedese Boys (Enschede) [merged 1965]
Oldenzaal [withdrew 1963]
Rigtersbleek (Enschede) [withdrew 1961]
Tubantia (Hengelo) [withdrew 1967]
Zwolsche Boys (Zwolle) [withdrew 1969]
Total
7 Dutch championships won by 3 clubs; 137 top level participations by 9 clubs:
44 ( 4) Go Ahead / Go Ahead Eagles (Deventer)
44 FC Twente (Enschede)
16 ( 2) Heracles (Almelo)
14 ( 1) Sportclub Enschede
12 FC Zwolle
4 Prinses Wilhelmina (Enschede)
1 Enschedese Boys (Enschede)
1 UD (Deventer)
1 ZAC (Zwolle)
Notes: Sportclub Enschede merged with Enschedese Boys to form FC Twente in 1965;
Go Ahead were renamed Go Ahead Eagles in 1971;
Heracles were renamed Heracles Almelo in 1998;
FC Zwolle were known as PEC until 1971 and as PEC Zwolle until 1991.
In 1962 both PEC and Zwolsche Boys were relegated from professional football
but readmitted after it had been found impossible to find a place for them
in the regional amateur leagues.
Pop.: 1,191,000
Until 1956:
No Dutch championship won; 3 playoff participations by 3 clubs:
1 DOS (Utrecht)
1 Elinkwijk (Utrecht)
1 UVV (Utrecht)
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
1 Dutch championship won by 1 club; 61 presences by 3 clubs:
40 FC Utrecht
14 ( 1) DOS (Utrecht) [merged 1970]
7 Elinkwijk (Utrecht) [merged 1970]
3 other clubs from Utrecht played professional football:
HVC / SC Amersfoort [bankrupt 1983]
Velox (Utrecht) [merged 1970]
Zeist [relegated 1961]
Total
1 Dutch championship won by 1 club; 64 top level participations by 4 clubs:
40 FC Utrecht
15 ( 1) DOS (Utrecht)
8 Elinkwijk (Utrecht)
1 UVV (Utrecht)
Notes: DOS merged with Elinkwijk and Velox to form FC Utrecht in 1970;
HVC were renamed SC Amersfoort in 1973.
Pop.: 380,000
Until 1956:
No Dutch championship won; no club from Zeeland ever reached the playoff.
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
No Dutch championship won; no club from Zeeland ever played in the eredivisie.
1 club from Zeeland played professional football:
1 VC Vlissingen / VCV Zeeland [bankrupt 1992]
Total
No Dutch championship won; no top level participation.
Note: VC Vlissingen changed name to VCV Zeeland in 1991.
Pop.: 3,455,000
Until 1956:
25 Dutch championships won by 7 clubs; 42 playoff participations by 10 clubs:
13 ( 5) Feijenoord (Rotterdam)
10 ( 5) Sparta (Rotterdam)
8 ( 8) HVV ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag)
3 ( 2) ADO ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag)
3 ( 3) HBS ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag)
1 Hermes DVS (Schiedam)
1 ( 1) Quick ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag)
1 ( 1) SVV (Schiedam)
1 VOC (Rotterdam)
1 VUC ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag)
Eredivisie since 1956-57:
10 Dutch championships won by 2 clubs; 169 presences by 10 clubs:
54 ( 9) Feijenoord / Feyenoord (Rotterdam)
51 ( 1) Sparta (Rotterdam)
22 FC Den Haag / ADO Den Haag
15 Excelsior (Rotterdam)
14 ADO ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag) [merged 1971]
5 DS '79 / SVV/Dordrecht '90 / Dordrecht '90
4 Holland Sport ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag) [merged 1971]
2 SVV (Schiedam) [merged 1991]
1 Xerxes (Rotterdam) [merged 1967]
1 Xerxes/DHC (Rotterdam) [bankrupt 1968]
7 other clubs from Zuid-Holland played professional football:
DHC (Delft) [merged 1967]
EBOH (Dordrecht) [withdrew 1962]
Emma (Dordrecht) [withdrew 1958]
Fortuna Vlaardingen / FC Vlaardingen [bankrupt 1981]
Hermes DVS (Schiedam) [removed 1971]
ONA (Gouda) [relegated 1960]
UVS (Leiden) [relegated 1962]
Total
35 Dutch championships won by 7 clubs; 211 top level participations by 16 clubs:
67 (14) Feijenoord / Feyenoord (Rotterdam)
61 ( 6) Sparta (Rotterdam)
22 FC Den Haag / ADO Den Haag
17 ( 2) ADO ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag)
15 Excelsior (Rotterdam)
8 ( 8) HVV ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag)
5 DS '79 / SVV/Dordrecht '90 / Dordrecht '90
4 Holland Sport ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag)
3 ( 3) HBS ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag)
3 ( 1) SVV (Schiedam)
1 Hermes DVS (Schiedam)
1 ( 1) Quick ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag)
1 VOC (Rotterdam)
1 VUC ('s-Gravenhage, Den Haag)
1 Xerxes (Rotterdam)
1 Xerxes/DHC (Rotterdam)
Notes: Feijenoord were renamed Feyenoord in 1971;
Holland Sport were known as Flamingo's until 1955 and (following a
temporary merger with amateur club Scheveningen) as SHS between 1955
and 1964;
ADO merged with Holland Sport to form FC Den Haag in 1971;
FC Den Haag changed name to ADO Den Haag temporarily (1992-1994) and
again in 1996;
Xerxes merged with DHC to form Xerxes/DHC in 1967;
DS '79 were known as DFC until 1972, and as FC Dordrecht from 1972 to
1979; DS '79 changed name to Dordrecht '90 in 1990;
SVV merged with Dordrecht '90 to form SVV/Dordrecht '90 in 1991;
SVV/Dordrecht '90 changed name to Dordrecht '90 in 1992;
Fortuna Vlaardingen changed name to FC Vlaardingen in 1974.
Region Until 1956 Eredivisie
Part. Champ. Pres. Champ.
Cl Tot Cl Tot Cl Tot Cl Tot
Noord-Brabant 9 46 5 9 10 182 1 18
Noord-Holland 13 47 5 14 11 173 3 24
Zuid-Holland 10 42 7 25 10 169 2 10
Limburg 5 8 2 2 7 131 - -
Overijssel 7 34 3 7 5 103 - -
Gelderland 6 18 - - 4 78 - -
Groningen 4 23 1 1 2 45 - -
Utrecht 3 3 - - 3 61 1 1
Friesland 2 10 - - 2 22 - -
Drenthe 1 1 - - - - - -
Flevoland - - - - - - - -
Zeeland - - - - - - - -
Total 60 232 23 58 54 964 7 53
Champ. = number of championships
Part. = number of participations in national championship playoffs
Pres. = number of presences in eredivisie
Cl = number of clubs involved
Tot = total number
Region Population Total
Part. Champ.
Cl Tot Cl Tot
Noord-Brabant 2,419,000 13 228 5 27
Noord-Holland 2,613,000 19 220 7 38
Zuid-Holland 3,455,000 16 211 7 35
Limburg 1,128,000 10 139 2 2
Overijssel 1,116,000 9 137 3 7
Gelderland 1,979,000 8 96 - -
Groningen 574,000 4 68 1 1
Utrecht 1,191,000 4 64 1 1
Friesland 642,000 3 32 - -
Drenthe 486,000 1 1 - -
Flevoland 374,000 - - - -
Zeeland 380,000 - - - -
Total 16,357,000 87 1196 26 111
Champ. = number of championships
Part. = number of participations in national championship playoffs or eredivisie
Cl = number of clubs involved
Tot = total number
Region Ever Now Bkr Mer Rel Rem Wdw Drenthe 2 1 1 Flevoland 1 1 Friesland 2 2 Gelderland 6 3 1 1 1 Groningen 5 2 1 2 Limburg 9 4 4 1 Noord-Brabant 18 9 2 1 2 4 Noord-Holland 19 5 1 8 4 1 Overijssel 10 4 2 4 Utrecht 6 1 1 3 1 Zeeland 1 - 1 Zuid-Holland 17 5 2 5 2 1 2 Total 96 37 6 24 6 10 13 Bkr = number of clubs that went bankrupt Mer = number of clubs that merged Rel = number of clubs that were effectively relegated Rem = number of clubs that were removed in 1971 Wdw = number of clubs that withdrew
Thanks to Carles Lozano Ferrer (ferrer@economistes.com) for population data and idea
Prepared and maintained by Karel Stokkermans for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: Karel Stokkermans
(karel@rsssf.com)
Last updated: 19 Jun 2009
(C) Copyright Karel Stokkermans and RSSSF 2000/09
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper
acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.