The Belgian football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in Belgium.
The league system underwent restructuring which was approved by the Royal Belgian Football Association. One important step was the introduction of a national fifth level for the first time. Its implementation took effect as of the 2016–17 season. [1] Changes since 2016:
Level | League(s)/Division(s) | |||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Professional Leagues | ||||||||||||||||||
1 | Belgian Pro League | |||||||||||||||||
2 | Challenger Pro League | |||||||||||||||||
Semi-/Non-Professional Leagues | ||||||||||||||||||
3 | Flemish Division 1 VV | Walloon Division 1 ACFF | ||||||||||||||||
4 | Belgian Division 2 VV | Belgian Division 2 ACFF | ||||||||||||||||
5 | Belgian Division 3 VV | Belgian Division 3 ACFF | ||||||||||||||||
Amateur Leagues | ||||||||||||||||||
6 | (All divisions run in parallel) | |||||||||||||||||
7 | (All divisions run in parallel) | |||||||||||||||||
8 | (All divisions run in parallel) | |||||||||||||||||
9 | (All divisions run in parallel) |
The timeline below lists the evolution of the men's tiers and leagues related to the Belgian FA since 1895. The provincial leagues often span multiple tiers.
From 2012/13 to 2014/15 the top teams played in the BeNe League, a joint league with clubs from the Netherlands. The Super League was created in 2015. [2]
Level | League(s)/Division(s) | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Super League | |||||||||||
2 | First Division | |||||||||||
3 | Second Division | |||||||||||
4 | Third division | |||||||||||
5+ | Provincial leagues |
The Belgian Third Division was the third highest level in Belgian football. It had two leagues of 18 teams each at the same level. This competition, originally known as the Belgian Promotion was first played in the 1926-27 season with three leagues, then with four leagues between 1931 and 1952. From 1952 on, only two leagues remained and the competition was named the Third Division. Originally set to 16 clubs, the number of clubs in each division was increased in 2009 to 18 clubs. At the end of the regular season, both league winners promoted to the second division and a play-off was played to determine a possible third club to promote. The champion of the third division was determined after a two-legged match between the winners of the two leagues. If those matches ended in a draw, a third match was played on a neutral ground. However, in recent years this final game was not organised anymore due to lack of interest. In 2016, the Belgian Third Division was replaced by the Belgian Second Amateur Division.
Football Club Verbroedering Dender Eendracht Hekelgem, also simply known as Dender or F.C.V. Dender, is a Belgian professional football club based in Denderleeuw. The club plays the 2024–25 season in the Belgian top division, the Pro League, after winning two promotions in three seasons. They rose from the Challenger Pro League after previously winning Belgian National Division 1 in 2021–22.
Koninklijke Beerschot Voetbalclub Antwerpen, or simply Beerschot, is a Belgian professional football club located in Antwerp, that competes in the top tier Pro League after promotion from second tier in 2023–24 season. In 2013, KFCO Wilrijk decided to integrate the identity of Beerschot AC when they were relegated in the 2012–13 season, not only through their league position but also due to losing their professional licence through financial issues, being officially declared bankrupt on 21 May 2013 and folding shortly afterwards. The club colours are purple and white, they play their games on the club's home ground the Olympic Stadium often referred to as 't Kiel.
The Challenger Pro League, previously known as 1B Pro League is the second-highest division in the Belgian football league system, one level below the Belgian Pro League. It was created by the Royal Belgian Football Association in 2016, replacing the Belgian Second Division. From the season 2016–17 until 2019–20, the competition was named Proximus League, after the main sponsor Proximus.
The Flemish Division 1, commonly referred to as simply 1e Afdeling Voetb VL in Dutch, and the Walloon Division 1, or simply Division Un in French, are the two semi-professional and the third-highest divisions in the Belgian football league system, one level below the Challenger Pro League. They were created by the Royal Belgian Football Association in 2024, when the organization was split between the Voetbal Vlaanderen and the Association des clubs francophones de football.
The Belgian Division 2, commonly referred to as simply Tweede Afdeling or Division 2 is the fourth-highest division in the Belgian football league system, one level below the Belgian National Division 1. It was created by the Royal Belgian Football Association in 2016, replacing the Belgian Third Division and named Belgian Second Amateur Division until the 2019–20 before it was renamed due to the negative connotation of the word amateur. The division consists of three separate leagues with 16 teams each, two of these leagues consist of teams playing with a license from the Voetbalfederatie Vlaanderen and one with teams with a license from the Association des Clubs Francophones de Football.
The Belgian Division 3, commonly referred to as simply Derde Afdeling or Division 3 is the fifth-highest division in the Belgian football league system, one level below the Belgian Division 2. It was created by the Royal Belgian Football Association in 2016 as a new layer at the fifth level of the league system, at that time named Belgian Third Amateur Division. From the 2020–21 season on it was renamed to Belgian Division 3, due to the negative connotation of the word amateur. The division consists of four separate leagues with 16 teams each, two of these leagues consist of teams playing with a license from the Voetbalfederatie Vlaanderen and two with teams with a license from the Association des Clubs Francophones de Football.
The 2020–21 Belgian Division 2 was the fifth season of the division in its current format, placed at the fourth-tier of football in Belgium and the first under this name, after being renamed (Belgian) Division 2 from (Belgian) Second Amateur Division. The season was cancelled in January 2021 with just a few matches played, as measures taken by the Belgian government against the spread of COVID-19 prohibited amateur football.
The 2020–21 Belgian Division 3 was the fifth season of the division in its current format, placed at the fifth-tier of football in Belgium and the first under this name, after being renamed (Belgian) Division 3 from (Belgian) Third Amateur Division. The season was cancelled in January 2021 with just a few matches played, as measures taken by the Belgian government against the spread of COVID-19 prohibited amateur football.
The 2021–22 Belgian Division 2 is the sixth season of the division in its current format, placed at the fourth-tier of football in Belgium. As the previous season was cancelled in January 2021 due to governmental measures against COVID-19 prohibiting amateur football, the division features nearly exactly teams.
The 2022–23 Belgian National Division 1 is the seventh season of the third-tier football league in Belgium and the first one in which U23 teams are admitted into the league, due to the last minute bankruptcy of Roeselare. It is the third season under its new name after being renamed from First Amateur Division. The league began in 18 August 2022 and is scheduled to end in 21 May 2023.
The 2021–22 Belgian Division 3 was the sixth season of the division in its current format, placed at the fifth-tier of football in Belgium. As the previous season was cancelled in January 2021 due to governmental measures against COVID-19 prohibiting amateur football, the division features nearly exactly the same teams.
The 2022–23 Belgian Division 3 is the seventh season of the division in its current format, placed at the fifth-tier of football in Belgium.
The 2022–23 Belgian Division 2 is the seventh season of the division in its current format, placed at the fourth-tier of football in Belgium.
The 2023–24 Belgian National Division 1 was the eighth season of the third-tier football league. The league began on 30 August 2023 and ended on 12 May 2024. This was the final season in the league's current format and from the following season, it split into a Flemish (VV) and Francophone (ACFF) division.
The 2023–24 Belgian Division 2 was the eighth season of the division in its current format, placed at the fourth-tier of football in Belgium.
The 2023–24 Belgian Division 3 is the eighth season of the division in its current format, placed at the fifth-tier of football in Belgium.
The 2024–25 Belgian Division 1 is the first season of the third-tier football league in which the division is split into two independent leagues VV and ACFF.
The 2024–25 Belgian Division 2 is scheduled to be the ninth season of the division in its current format, placed at the fourth-tier of football in Belgium.
The 2024–25 Belgian Division 3 is scheduled to be the ninth season of the division in its current format, placed at the fifth tier of football in Belgium.