Eredivisie (men's handball) explained

Sport:Handball
Eredivisie
Founded:1954
Teams:16 (+6)
Country:Netherlands
Confed:EHF
Champions:HV Aalsmeer
Most Champs:Sittardia (18 titles)
Confed Cup:European League
European Cup
Website:Official website
Current Season:2022–23 Eredivisie (men's handball)

The Nederlandse Handbal Eredivisie is the top Dutch professional handball league. The winners of the Eredivisie are recognised as the Dutch handball champions.

Competition format

In the first phase of the season, the top 6 teams of the previous season participate in the BENE-League competition. They are joined by the top 6 teams from Belgium. At the same time, the remaining 12 teams, participate in a national competition. In the second phase, the 4 best ranking Dutch teams of the BENE-League, who automatically qualified for next season's BENE-League, compete in a 2-round system for the national title. The first round is a full competition among those 4. In the second round the 2 teams which ended on top, decide in a best-of-three who wins the title. In the final ranking, these teams end up on ranks 1 to 4. The 2 lowest ranking Dutch teams of the BENE-League, together with the 2 best ranking teams of the national competition, compete in full competition, for 2 spots in next season's BENE-League. In the final ranking, these teams end up on ranks 5 to 8. The teams which ended 3 to 10 in the national competition play a 3-round system to decide their final ranking (ranks 9 to 16). Something like a knock-out system with the major difference that losing a match doesn't mean you get eliminated but you continue for the lower ranks, where winning means you continue for the better ranks. So the teams winning in the first round continue for the final ranks 9 to 12 and those losing for the ranks 13 to 16. The same principle is repeated in the second round and final ranks are decided in the third round. Last but not least, the 2 teams who ended at the bottom of the national competition, together with 4-period winners of the Eerste Divisie compete in a 2-round system for 1 spot in next season's Eredivisie. In the first round, the 6 teams are split into 2 groups of 3 in such a way that the 2 Eredivisie teams are never in the same group. In each group, the 3 teams play a full competition. The winners of both groups decide in a best-of-two who plays next season in the Eredivisie. The final spot in the Eredivisie is taken by the champions of the Eerste Divisie.

2020–21 season

The following 16 clubs compete in the Eredivisie during the 2020–21 season.

TeamCityArenawidth=200 Notes
Green Park/AalsmeerAalsmeerSporthal De BloemhofClub playing in
BENE-League
Herpertz Bevo HCPanningenSportArena De Heuf
JD Techniek/Hurry-UpZwartemeerSucces Holidayparcs Arena
QuintusKwintsheulEekhout Hal
KEMBIT-LIONSSittard-GeleenStadssporthal Sittard
KRAS/VolendamVolendamSporthal de Opperdam
Green Park/Aalsmeer IIAalsmeerSporthal De Bloemhof
Herpertz Bevo HC IIPanningenSportArena De Heuf
BFCBeekSportlandgoed De Haamen
DFS ArnhemArnhemRijkerswoerd
DynamicoOssSporthal Rusheuvel
Oosting/E&OEmmenSporthal Angelslo
EHCLeidschendam-VoorburgEuropean Sports Dome
FeyenoordRotterdamWielewaal
GHVGoirleSporthal De Wissel
HavasAlmereSporthal Stedenwijk
IMTO Benelux/HellasThe HagueHellashal
The Dome/Handbal HoutenHoutenSportcentrum The Dome
V&L-Sittardia CombibatieSittard-GeleenLACO Glanerbrook
RED-RAG/TachosWaalwijkTopsporthal De Slagen
KRAS/Volendam IIVolendamSporthal De Opperdam
WHC-HercluesThe HagueLoosduinen

Eredivisie previous champions

ClubTitlesYear
1. 18 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999
2. 13 1954, 1959, 1985, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022
3. 7 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
4. 5 1989, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998
5 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 2002
6. 4 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965
4 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023
7. 3 1956, 1957, 1958
3 1980, 1981, 1988
-10. 2 1960, 1961
11. PSV Handbal 1 1955
ESCA Arnhem 1 1967
Hermes Den Haag 1 1978
1 2008
1 2014

EHF coefficient ranking

For season 2017/2018, see footnote[1]

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://cms.eurohandball.com/PortalData/1/Resources/3_other_ec/3_download_pdf/MEN_Placedistribution1718_Final.pdf