Only after sixty years, in 1956/57, a unified national league, called "eredivisie", was formed again, two years after professionalism had been introduced in the Netherlands. Originally two levels of professional football existed below the eredivisie, the "eerste divisie" (which literally translates as "first division") and "tweede divisie" (second division). Both were sometimes played in one, sometimes in two groups.
At the end of the 1970/71 season, the second division was abolished after it had been found that too many teams had been allowed to turn professional in the fifties. Over the years, several had voluntarily returned to the amateur leagues, some had been relegated, and on two occasions teams had been promoted as amateur champions to the professional section (Xerxes and Velox). In 1970/71 many of the remaining small clubs, which were deemed incapable of sustaining in professional football, were forced to return to the amateurs and only two divisions (eredivisie and eerste divisie) of professional football remained, both played in one group. Since then, the number of professional teams has varied from 34 to 41, teams occasionally going bust or (from the eighties) being admitted to professional football when meeting certain criteria (R.B.C., R.K.C., Emmen, T.O.P. and V.C. Vlissingen - the last team folding after two unsuccessful seasons).
In 1972/73 a special promotion regulation was introduced: teams that had been the best in an (usually) eight game "period" were allowed to fight for (usually) one promotion place in an end-of-the-season playoff called "nacompetitie".
Below all the group winners of the Eerste and Tweede Divisie since 1956/57 are listed. From 1972/73 onwards, winners of the nacompetitie (obtaining promotion) are listed as well.
1890/91 Victoria (Rotterdam) 1891/92 Go Ahead (Wageningen) 1892/93 Sparta (Rotterdam) 1893/94 Rapiditas (Rotterdam) 1894/95 Victoria (Rotterdam) 1895/96 H.B.S. (Den Haag)
1956/57 A.D.O. and Blauw-Wit
1957/58 Willem II and S.H.S.
1958/59 Volendam and Sittardia
1959/60 G.V.A.V. and Alkmaar
1960/61 Volendam and Blauw-Wit
1961/62 Heracles and Fortuna Vlaardingen [1]
1962/63 D.W.S.
1963/64 Sittardia
1964/65 Willem II
1965/66 Sittardia
1966/67 Volendam
1967/68 Holland Sport
1968/69 S.V.V.
1969/70 Volendam
1970/71 F.C. Den Bosch Nacompetitie Winners
1971/72 Haarlem
1972/73 Roda J.C. De Graafschap
1973/74 Excelsior Wageningen
1974/75 N.E.C. Eindhoven
1975/76 Haarlem F.C. V.V.V.
1976/77 Vitesse Volendam
1977/78 P.E.C. Zwolle M.V.V.
1978/79 Excelsior Willem II
1979/80 F.C. Groningen Wageningen
1980/81 Haarlem De Graafschap
1981/82 Helmond Sport Excelsior
1982/83 D.S. '79 F.C. Den Bosch
1983/84 M.V.V. N.A.C.
1984/85 Heracles N.E.C.
1985/86 F.C. Den Haag Veendam
1986/87 Volendam D.S. '79
1987/88 R.K.C. M.V.V.
1988/89 Vitesse N.E.C.
1989/90 S.V.V. Heerenveen
1990/91 De Graafschap V.V.V.
1991/92 Cambuur Leeuwarden B.V.V. Den Bosch [2]
1992/93 V.V.V. Heerenveen and N.A.C. [3]
1993/94 Dordrecht '90 N.E.C. and R.K.C. [3]
1994/95 Fortuna Sittard De Graafschap and Go Ahead Eagles [3]
1995/96 A.Z. Volendam and N.E.C. [3]
1996/97 M.V.V. R.K.C. and N.E.C. [3]
1997/98 A.Z. R.K.C. and Cambuur Leeuwarden [3]
1998/99 F.C. Den Bosch R.K.C. and Sparta [3]
1999/00 N.A.C. F.C. Groningen and R.B.C. Roosendaal [3]
2000/01 F.C. Den Bosch Fortuna Sittard and Sparta [3]
2001/02 F.C. Zwolle R.B.C. Roosendaal and Excelsior [3]
2002/03 A.D.O. Den Haag F.C. Zwolle and Volendam [3]
2003/04 F.C. Den Bosch Vitesse and De Graafschap [3]
2004/05 Heracles Almelo R.B.C. Roosendaal and Sparta Rotterdam [3]
2005/06 Excelsior N.A.C. Breda and Willem II [3]
2006/07 De Graafschap Excelsior and V.V.V.-Venlo [3]
2007/08 F.C. Volendam De Graafschap and A.D.O. Den Haag [3]
2008/09 V.V.V.-Venlo Roda J.C. and R.K.C. Waalwijk [3]
2009/10 De Graafschap Willem II and Excelsior [3]
2010/11 R.K.C. Waalwijk Excelsior and V.V.V.-Venlo [3]
2011/12 F.C. Zwolle V.V.V.-Venlo and Willem II [3]
2012/13 S.C. Cambuur (Leeuwarden) Roda J.C. and Go Ahead Eagles [3]
2013/14 Willem II F.C. Dordrecht and Excelsior [3]
2014/15 N.E.C. Roda J.C. and De Graafschap [3]
2015/16 Sparta Rotterdam Willem II and Go Ahead Eagles [3]
2016/17 V.V.V.-Venlo Roda J.C. and N.A.C. Breda [3]
2017/18 Jong Ajax (Fortuna Sittard) [!] Emmen and De Graafschap
2018/19 F.C. Twente R.K.C. Waalwijk and Sparta Rotterdam
2019/20 season abandoned
2020/21 S.C. Cambuur (Leeuwarden) N.E.C.
2021/22 Emmen Excelsior
2022/23 Heracles Almelo Almere City
2023/24 Willem II N.A.C. Breda
2024/25
[1] Heracles and Fortuna Vlaardingen played a decisive match for promotion, won by
Heracles. Fortuna remained in the eerste divisie and are therefore not counted
as "Eerste Divisie" Champions in the following list. In the years before, no
matches between group winners were played to decide championship or promotion.
[2] From 1991/92 on, and until 2005/06, the nacompetitie was played in two groups.
In 1991/92, the second group was won by Go Ahead Eagles who lost the promotion
playoff against B.V.V. Den Bosch. (They later obtained promotion by beating
eredivisie side F.C. Den Haag.)
[3] From 1992/93 on, eredivisie sides finishing just above the automatic relegation
spot(s) had to fight for their survival in a nacompetitie group. Since 2006/07,
the group system was replaced by a knock-out format. Teams given in italics
were eredivisie sides who managed to retain their place in the nacompetitie.
[!] Jong Ajax won the league but were ineligible for promotion, so Fortuna Sittard
were promoted automatically as runners-up.
6 F.C. Volendam [includes Volendam]
4 F.C. Den Bosch
4 Heracles Almelo [includes Heracles (Almelo)]
4 Willem II (Tilburg)
3 A.D.O. Den Haag [includes A.D.O. (Den Haag) and F.C. Den Haag]
3 A.Z. (Alkmaar) [includes Alkmaar]
3 S.C. Cambuur (Leeuwarden) [includes Cambuur Leeuwarden]
3 Excelsior (Rotterdam)
3 De Graafschap (Doetinchem)
3 Haarlem
3 Sittardia (Sittard)
3 V.V.V.-Venlo [includes V.V.V. (Venlo)]
3 F.C. Zwolle [includes P.E.C. Zwolle]
2 Blauw-Wit (Amsterdam)
2 F.C. Groningen (includes G.V.A.V. (Groningen)]
2 Holland Sport (Den Haag) [includes S.H.S. (Den Haag)]
2 M.V.V. (Maastricht)
2 N.E.C. (Nijmegen)
2 R.K.C. Waalwijk [includes R.K.C. (Waalwijk)]
2 S.V.V. (Schiedam)
2 Vitesse (Arnhem)
1 Dordrecht '90 [**]
1 D.S. '79 (Dordrecht)
1 D.W.S. (Amsterdam)
1 Emmen
1 Fortuna Sittard
1 Helmond Sport
1 Jong Ajax (Amsterdam)
1 N.A.C. (Breda)
1 Roda J.C. (Kerkrade)
1 Sparta Rotterdam
1 F.C. Twente (Enschede)
[**] Technically Dordrecht '90 should be considered the successor of
S.V.V., as they took over their (eredivisie) license when S.V.V.
and D.S. '79 merged. However, they play at the former D.S. '79
ground. They are therefore listed as an independent entity.
7 Excelsior (Rotterdam) [2 times as first level team] 7 De Graafschap (Doetinchem) [1 time as first level team] 6 N.E.C. (Nijmegen) [2 times as first level team] 6 R.K.C. Waalwijk [4 times as first level team] [includes R.K.C. (Waalwijk)] 5 N.A.C. Breda [1 time as first level team] 5 V.V.V.-Venlo [2 times as first level team] [includes (F.C.) V.V.V. (Venlo)] 5 Willem II (Tilburg) [3 times as first level team] 4 Roda J.C. (Kerkrade) [3 times as first level team] 4 Sparta Rotterdam [2 times as first level team] 3 Go Ahead Eagles (Deventer) [1 time as first level team] 3 R.B.C. Roosendaal [1 time as first level team] 3 Volendam [1 time as first level team] 2 F.C. Den Bosch [includes B.V.V. Den Bosch] 2 Heerenveen 2 M.V.V. (Maastricht) 2 Wageningen 1 A.D.O. Den Haag 1 Almere City 1 Cambuur Leeuwarden 1 F.C. Dordrecht 1 D.S. '79 (Dordrecht) 1 Eindhoven 1 Emmen 1 Fortuna Sittard [as first level team] 1 F.C. Groningen 1 Veendam 1 Vitesse (Arnhem) [as first level team] 1 F.C. Zwolle [as first level team]
1956/57 Leeuwarden and R.B.C.
1957/58 Z.F.C. and Heracles
1958/59 't Gooi and Go Ahead
1959/60 E.D.O. and Be Quick
1960/61 Haarlem
1961/62 Velox
1962/63 V.S.V. and Haarlem [*]
1963/64 N.E.C. and Alkmaar [**]
1964/65 S.C. Cambuur and D.F.C. [***]
1965/66 Vitesse and F.C. Den Bosch
1966/67 Haarlem
1967/68 Wageningen
1968/69 De Graafschap
1969/70 Heerenveen
1970/71 De Volewijckers
[*] Haarlem lost the promotion match against V.S.V. and missed out on
promotion in an ensuing playoff. They are therefore not listed as
a "Tweede Divisie" Champion below.
[**] Alkmaar lost the promotion match against N.E.C. They later gained
promotion in a playoff nevertheless, but are not listed as a "Tweede
Divisie" Champion below.
[***] D.F.C. lost the promotion match against S.C. Cambuur and missed out
on promotion. They are not listed as a "Tweede Divisie" Champion
below.
In all other seasons featuring two groups, no matches were played for
promotion or championship between the two winners.
2 S.C. Cambuur (Leeuwarden) [includes Leeuwarden] 2 Haarlem 1 Be Quick (Groningen) 1 F.C. Den Bosch 1 E.D.O. (Haarlem) 1 Go Ahead (Deventer) 1 't Gooi (Hilversum) 1 De Graafschap (Doetinchem) 1 Heerenveen 1 Heracles (Almelo) 1 N.E.C. (Nijmegen) 1 R.B.C. (Roosendaal) 1 Velox (Utrecht) 1 Vitesse (Arnhem) 1 De Volewijckers (Amsterdam) 1 V.S.V. (Velsen) 1 Wageningen 1 Z.F.C. (Zaandam)
2010/11 IJsselmeervogels (Spakenburg) and F.C. Oss 2011/12 Achilles'29 (Groesbeek) and Spakenburg 2012/13 Katwijk and Achilles'29 (Groesbeek) 2013/14 Spakenburg and A.F.C. (Amsterdam) 2014/15 F.C. Lienden and Kozakken Boys (Werkendam) 2015/16 Excelsior Maassluis and F.C. Lienden
2016/17 Jong A.Z. (Alkmaar) 2017/18 Katwijk 2018/19 A.F.C. (Amsterdam) 2019/20 season abandoned 2020/21 season abandoned 2021/22 Katwijk 2022/23 Katwijk 2023/24 Spakenburg
Prepared and maintained by Karel Stokkermans for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: Karel Stokkermans
Last updated: 15 Oct 2024
(C) Copyright Karel Stokkermans and RSSSF 1995/2024
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper
acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.