Eredivisie Standings

Eredivisie Standings: How the 2026/27 Table Works

The Eredivisie is the top division of Dutch football, and this page explains how its standings work so you can read the live table below at a glance. The table updates automatically after every match; the guide that follows covers the 2026/27 format, what each position earns – from the title and European places down to the relegation zone – the tiebreakers used to separate level teams, the key dates, and how to follow the season from New Zealand.

How the Eredivisie table works

The Eredivisie is an 18-team league, and every club plays each of the others twice – once at home and once away – for a total of 34 matches per team across the season. Clubs earn 3 points for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss, and the table is ordered by total points, highest first. There are no bonus points: the system is the same straightforward three-points-for-a-win model used across most European football. If you are new to league tables, our guide on how to read a sports standings table walks through each column, and the glossary explaining what abbreviations like GP, W, D, L and GD mean covers the headings you will see above.

What each position in the table means in 2026/27

Where a club finishes decides which continental competition it enters, or whether it drops out of the division. The top of the table earns European football and the bottom faces relegation, with the exact routes for 2026/27 set out below.

European places (top of the table)

• 1st – champions: win the Eredivisie title and go straight into the UEFA Champions League league phase.
• 2nd: enter the Champions League third qualifying round.
• 3rd: enter the UEFA Europa League second qualifying round.
• 4th to 7th: contest the end-of-season European play-offs, with the winner taking a place in the UEFA Conference League second qualifying round.

On top of the league places, the winner of the KNVB Cup earns a Europa League league-phase ticket. If the cup winner has already qualified through its league finish, that European place passes down the table, which can shift the exact positions above – so it is worth checking the official allocation each season.

Relegation (bottom of the table)

• 16th: drops into the promotion/relegation play-offs against clubs from the second tier.
• 17th and 18th: relegated directly to the Eerste Divisie, the Dutch second tier (known for sponsorship reasons as the Keuken Kampioen Divisie).

How ties are broken

When two or more clubs finish level on points, the Eredivisie separates them by goal difference first, then by goals scored, and then by the results between the tied clubs (head-to-head). If teams are still level and the placing decides the title, a European spot or relegation, a deciding play-off match can be ordered rather than leaving it to the numbers alone. The ranking of teams that are not fighting over one of those outcomes is simply left as the numbers fall. For a fuller explanation of the chain, see our guide on how points and tiebreakers work.

Key dates for the 2026/27 season

The 2026/27 Eredivisie season runs from August to May. The main checkpoints are:

• Opening weekend: Friday 7 to Sunday 9 August 2026.
• Winter break: play pauses after Sunday 20 December 2026 and resumes on Friday 8 January 2027.
• Final round (matchday 34): Sunday 23 May 2027, when the title, European places and relegation are confirmed.
• Play-offs: the European and promotion/relegation play-offs follow in the days after the final round.

How the season ends

The Eredivisie title is decided by the table, not by a grand final: the club top of the standings after all 34 rounds is champion. Two sets of play-offs then settle the places either side of the automatic cut-offs. The European play-offs bring together the clubs that finished 4th to 7th in a short knockout, with the winner claiming the Conference League qualifying ticket. Separately, the 16th-placed club enters the promotion/relegation play-offs, a knockout against Eerste Divisie sides, to decide the last spot in next season’s Eredivisie.

How to follow the Eredivisie from New Zealand

New Zealand is roughly 10 to 12 hours ahead of the Netherlands, depending on daylight saving on each side, so matches that kick off on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday afternoon or evening in the Netherlands land in the early hours through to the morning of the following day in New Zealand (NZDT in summer, NZST in winter). The quickest way to keep up is the live table on this page, which refreshes automatically after each match, alongside the official Eredivisie site for fixtures and results. Television and streaming rights change from season to season, so check current local listings for live coverage rather than relying on an old guide. If you follow other leagues the same way, our pages on the Premier League standings and the Serie B standings explain their tables the same way.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

How many teams are in the Eredivisie?

The Eredivisie has 18 teams. Each club plays every other club twice, home and away, for 34 matches per team across the season.

How many points do you get for a win in the Eredivisie?

Three points for a win and one for a draw; a loss earns nothing. There are no bonus points, and the table is ranked on total points, highest first.

Which Eredivisie positions qualify for Europe?

For 2026/27 the champion enters the Champions League league phase, 2nd place the Champions League third qualifying round and 3rd place the Europa League second qualifying round. Clubs finishing 4th to 7th play off for a Conference League qualifying place.

How does relegation work in the Eredivisie?

The bottom two clubs, 17th and 18th, are relegated directly to the Eerste Divisie. The club in 16th enters a promotion/relegation play-off against second-tier sides to keep its place.

Is the Eredivisie title decided by a final?

No. The champion is the club top of the table after all 34 rounds. Play-offs are only used to settle European qualification and the final relegation spot, not the title.