Dutch Eredivisie 2026/27: Season Guide — Key Dates, Fixtures & Betting Preview

PSV Eindhoven are the undisputed kings of the Eredivisie after winning each of the last three league titles. Will they win four in a row and equal Frank de Boer’s record with Ajax?

To do so, they’ll have to fight Ajax, a sleeping giants due for a bounce-back season after the appointment of Michel, and Feyenoord. And that’s not including any surprise team that can sneak into the race.

Here’s our comprehensive, in-depth season preview of the 2026-27 Eredivisie season, which kicks off 7-9 August 2026.

Dutch Eredivisie 2025/26 — Results, Stats & Season Recap

Take a glance at what happened in the 2025-26 Eredivisie season with the top seven clubs in the standings and the relegated sides.

Final standings (top 7 + relegated):

Pos Team Pts GD European spot Notes
1 PSV Eindhoven (C) 84 +56 UCL league phase 27th title — 3rd consecutive. 27W 3D 4L, 101 goals scored, +56 goal differential.
2 Feyenoord 65 +26 UCL league phase Robin van Persie's debut season in management. Replaced by Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
3 NEC Nijmegen 59 +24 UCL 3rd qualifying round Scored 77 league goals, second-best mark in Eredivisie. Lost KNVB Cup to AZ.
4 Twente 58 +19 UEL 2nd qualifying round Just six losses in 34 league matches. Best defensive record with 40 goals conceded.
5 Ajax 56 +21 UECL (via European play-offs) Three managers in one season. Finished 5th, salvaged UECL. Brought in Michel as new manager for 2026-27.
6 FC Utrecht 53 +13 UECL (via European play-offs) Lost UECL playoff final to Ajax, third-best defensive record in Eredivisie.
7 AZ Alkmaar 52 +7 UEL (as KNVB Cup winners) Won the KNVB Cup, beating NEC in the final.
16 FC Volendam (R) 32 -20 — Relegated via play-off — lost to Willem II on penalties.
17 NAC Breda (R) 29 -23 — Directly relegated.
18 Heracles Almelo (R) 19 -50 — Directly relegated. Worst defensive record (85 conceded).

Eredivisie Top Scorers and Season Awards 2025/26:

Award Winner Club Note
Top Scorer (Eredivisie) Ayase Ueda Feyenoord Scored 25 goals in 31 Eredivisie matches. Had 26 goals in 40 games across all competitions.
KNVB Cup AZ Alkmaar — Beat NEC Nijmegen in the final. Secured a UEFA Europa League berth as a result.
Johan Cruyff Shield PSV Eindhoven — Defeated Go Ahead Eagles 2-1. Goals from Gerrit Nauber (own goal) and Sergiño Dest for PSV, while Mathis Suray scored for GA Eagles.
Player/Manager Of The Season Ismael Saibari PSV Eindhoven Finished the 2025-26 season with 19 goals and nine assists in 37 matches in all competitions. Moved to Bayern Munich in the summer.

Two main storylines from the 2025/26 Eredivisie season

1. PSV's dominance unmatched once again

Peter Bosz’s men dominated the league for a third consecutive season, but this was perhaps their most dominant of three consecutive Eredivisie titles. PSV scored a league-high 101 goals. They won the league by a landslide (19-point differential), but also won 13 matches in a row at one point and went 18 undefeated between 13 September 2025 and 2 February 2026 (W16, D2).

Bosz has led PSV to the Eredivisie title in his three seasons with the club, and is doing so by playing an attacking, up-tempo style in one of the most goal-happy leagues in Europe. The 2025-26 Eredivisie led all European major leagues in goals per game at 3.18 across its 306 matches. Despite missing key players in the summer transfer window, PSV look set to dominate Dutch football again in 2026-27.

2. NEC's remarkable run and Ajax's chaos

We could call these storylines 2a and 2b, because as incredible as NEC Nijmegen’s run to third place was, Ajax’s fall to fifth place was equally impressive. NEC, traditionally a mid-table club, finished 3rd with 59 points and scored 77 league goals. It’s the second-best mark in the Eredivisie and an astonishing return for a club of their size.

They also reached the KNVB Cup final, losing to AZ Alkmaar, and qualified for the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds for the first time in club history, where they’ll face Greek side Olympiacos.

At the opposite end, we can find Ajax. They had three managers (Johnny Heitinga was fired in November, Fred Grim spent months as a caretaker, and Óscar García took over in March). But they barely secured a spot in the UEFA Conference League Qualifiers. The contrast between NEC's outstanding campaign and Ajax's disappointing season was the defining subplot of the 2025-26 campaign.

Eredivisie Players, Managers & New Clubs for 2026/27

To start analysing the 2026-27 Eredivisie season, we’ll take a look at which teams got relegated and which have been promoted from the Keuken Kampioen Divisie.

2026/27 Eredivisie Promoted & relegated teams

In (promoted) Last season in Eredivisie How Out (relegated) Time in top flight
ADO Den Haag 2020-21 Eerste Divisie champions FC Volendam 1 season
SC Cambuur 2022-23 Eerste Divisie runners-up NAC Breda 2 seasons
Willem II 2024-25 Play-off winners (beat Volendam in the final) Heracles Almelo 3 seasons

2026/27 Eredivisie Managerial changes

Club Out In Note
Ajax Óscar García (caretaker) Míchel Former Girona manager, guided them to 3rd in La Liga and UCL in 2024. Contract to summer 2028. Attacking, possession-based style of football.
Feyenoord Robin van Persie (sacked despite 2nd place) Giovanni van Bronckhorst Returns to De Kuip — won Eredivisie title with Feyenoord as a player. Contract to summer 2028.
FC Utrecht Ron Jans Anthony Correia Spent the 2025/26 season at SC Telstar, where he avoided relegation.
Go Ahead Eagles Melvin Boel Joseph Oosting Managed FC Twente in the 2025/26 Eredivisie season. Also spent time at Royal Antwerp in Belgium.
Sparta Rotterdam Maurice Steijn Rogier Meijer Spent the 2025-26 season as Leverkusen’s assistant manager. Previous manager of NEC Nijmegen between the 2020/21 and 2024/25 seasons.
AZ Alkmaar Lee-Roy Echteld (interim from Jan 2026) Permanent appointment of Lee-Roy Echteld Took over as caretaker on January 18, 2026, until the end of the season. Hired as permanent manager on May 8, 2026.
Cambuur (promoted) Henk de Jong Johan Plat Last club was Castellon in the Spanish LaLiga2. First full-time managerial role in the Eredivisie.
SC Telstar Anthony Correia Henk Brugge Correia avoided relegation and signed with FC Utrecht. This will be his first-ever full-time managerial role for a senior club.

Staying for 2026/27:

Club Manager Notes
PSV Eindhoven Peter Bosz Extended to summer 2028 (1 Feb 2026). Going for historic 4th consecutive title.
Fortuna Sittard Danny Buijs 4th season at the club.
Groningen Dick Lukkien 4th season at the club.
NEC Nijmegen Dick Schreuder Guided them to 3rd place in the 2025/26 Eredivisie season and will lead them in their first-ever UEFA Champions League campaign.
FC Twente John van den Brom Appointed mid-season Sep 2025.
Heerenveen Robin Veldman Has been with the club since March 21, 2025.
ADO Den Haag (promoted) Robin Peter Second season with the club. Pressing system among most effective in Europe in 2025-26, according to CIES.
Excelsior Ruben den Uil Third season with the club. One of the youngest managers in the Eredivisie.
PEC Zwolle Henry van der Vegt Has been with the club since May 2025.
Willem II (promoted) John Stegeman Second season with the club.

2026/27 Eredivisie Season: Key Summer Transfers

Transfer activity ahead of the 2026-27 Eredivisie season has been constant, with the top clubs preparing for Europe and the newcomers aiming to bolster their depth to avoid relegation.

Here are some of the most notable moves for the Big 3 of Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV, as well as AZ and NEC Nijmegen and the three promoted teams: ADO Den Haag, Cambuur and Willem II.

Club Key arrivals Key departures
Ajax Marcos Leonardo (Al-Hilal - KSA), Caio Henrique (AS Monaco - FRA), Daley Blind (Girona - SPA) Sean Steur (Newcastle United - ENG), Wout Weghorst (Twente - NED), Oleksandr Zinchenko (FA)
PSV Eindhoven Sven Mijnans (AZ - NED), Matej Kovar (Leverkusen - GER) Ismael Saibari (Bayern Munich - GER)
Feyenoord Nacho Ferri (Westerlo - BEL), Charles Vanhoutte (Nice - FRA), Mika Marmol (UD Las Palmas - SPA) In-beom Hwang (Porto - POR), Ramiz Zerrouki (Twente - NED), Calvin Stengs (AZ - NED)
NEC Nijmegen Tobias Storm (Lyngby - DEN), Emre Mor (Fenerbahçe - TUR), Jamiro Monteiro (Zwolle - NED), Dušan Tadić (Al-Wahda - UAE) Danilo (Rangers - SCO), Basar Önal (Lille - FRA)
AZ Alkmaar Sam de Grand (Lommel SK - BEL), Abdelnour Soualhia (Le Puy - FRA), Calvin Stengs (Feyenoord - NED) Sven Mijnans (PSV - NED), Kristijan Belic (Maccabi Tel Aviv - ISR), Zico Buurmeester (CD Leganes - SPA)
ADO Den Haag Laase Wilhelm (Saarbrücken - GER), Donát Bárány (Debrecen - HUN), Jan Zamburek (Heracles - NED) Jari Vlak (CD Castellon - SPA), Antoine Lejoly (KAS Eupen - BEL), Steven van der Sloot (Fortuna Düsseldorf - GER)
Cambuur Morgan Costarelli (Lille - FRA) Kian Visser (TPS - FIN), Remco Balk (Bali United - IND)
Willem II Mats Lemmens (RWDM Brussels - BEL), Kasper Boogard (loan, AZ - NED) Boris Lambert (Kortrijk - BEL), Nick Doodeman (FC Volendam - NED)

2026/27 Eredivisie: Notable African players

The Eredivisie has a long history of developing African talent — Ajax and Feyenoord academies have produced or hosted players from across the continent. Here are some of the most notable African players who will feature in the 2026/27 Eredivisie.

Player Nation Club Position
Oussama Targhalline Morocco Feyenoord Defensive midfielder
Anis Hadj Moussa Algeria Feyenoord Right winger
Ramiz Zerrouki Algeria FC Twente Defensive midfielder
Couhaib Driouech Morocco PSV Eindhoven Left winger
Arthur Zagre Burkina Faso FC Utrecht Left-back
Jamiro Monteiro Cape Verde NEC Nijmegen Central midfielder
Ibrahim Sadiq Ghana AZ Alkmaar Right winger
Jorthy Mokio DR Congo Ajax Defensive midfielder
Ibrahim Cissoko Guinea PEC Zwolle Left winger

Eredivisie Fixtures and Key Dates 2026/27

Date Event
7–9 Aug 2026 Matchday 1: PSV vs Fortuna Sittard, Zwolle vs Ajax, Sparta vs Feyenoord
2 Aug 2026 Johan Cruyff Shield — PSV vs AZ Alkmaar
26 Sep – 3 Oct 2026 International break (extended 2-week break — no league matches either weekend)
14 Nov 2026 International break
29 Nov 2026 and 28 Feb 2027 De Klassieker: Ajax vs Feyenoord — Feyenoord at home in November 2026 and Ajax at home in February 2027
27 Mar 2027 International break
23 May 2027 Season ends — final matchday

Eredivisie Games to Watch — 2026/27 Title Race

PSV Eindhoven

PSV Eindhoven are widely considered the heavy favourites for good reason. Peter Bosz has led them to three consecutive titles, and they’re coming off an 84-point campaign in 2025/26, as well as being on the verge of four straight Eredivisie titles, tying Ajax’s mark. It seems their only threat is complacency rather than quality, as they have the best squad in the league by a considerable margin. Their 22Bet odds to win the 2026/27 Eredivisie title are 1.68.

Ajax

The biggest question ahead of the 2026/27 Eredivisie is whether Ajax can bounce back from a disastrous 2025/26 campaign. They seem to have all the pieces in place, including appointing Míchel as manager. The Spanish tactician arrives with a strong track record after guiding Girona to 3rd in LaLiga and the Champions League in 2023/24 and a clear project-rebuild mandate.

With 50,000+ average attendance, Johan Cruyff Arena backing and a transfer budget that dwarfs most Eredivisie rivals, Ajax should be targeting the top 3. A title challenge in Year 1 would be ambitious but is not impossible with the right signings. Their 22Bet odds to win the 2026/27 Eredivisie title are 6.40.

Feyenoord

What can Feyenoord expect in the return of Giovanni van Bronckhorst? They finished second in 2025/26 but parted ways with Robin van Persie, and now the former left-back returns after success in Rotterdam as a player and a manager.

The squad have genuine quality, led by Ayase Ueda’s presence upfront, but they should be considered a step or two below PSV, and even Ajax, from a talent perspective. Challenging for the title might be too much, but they should aim to earn a UCL berth for 2027/28. Their 22Bet odds to win the 2026/27 Eredivisie title are 3.82.

Keep an eye on NEC Nijmegen, as they scored 77 league goals and finished in third place in 2025/26, so their system is not a fluke. Even if fixture congestion proves to be an issue, they should stay in the race.

Our Pick: PSV are just too good for the rest of the league. Even if Ajax deliver a bounce-back season and Feyenoord stay strong, this is PSV’s title race to lose, so we’re backing them at strong 1.68 odds.

Team Pick Odds
PSV Eindhoven PSV Eindhoven to Win the Eredivisie Title 1.68
Ajax Ajax to Win the Eredivisie Title 6.40
Feyenoord Feyenoord to Win the Eredivisie Title 3.82
NEC Nijmegen NEC Nijmegen to Win the Eredivisie Title 35

Check the latest odds and place your bets at 22Bet.

Odds recorded in July 2026. Prices may change as the transfer window develops and the opening round approaches.

Relegation Battle — Who Goes Down?

As in 2025/26, there will be two automatic relegation spots in 2026/27 (17th and 18th) and one playoff team (16th). The 16th-placed team enters a playoff matchup against the third-place team from the Eerste Divisie.

The top three teams to emerge as candidates are the three promoted sides, ADO Den Haag, Cambuur and Willem II, as neither strengthened their squads considerably during the summer transfer window. Willem II might have the best shot at staying in the division due to their history compared to Cambuur and ADO Den Haag. These are two teams that aren’t known for being Eredivisie regulars.

One team to keep close tabs on is Telstar. They spent most of the 2025/26 campaign in the bottom three and avoided relegation thanks to a strike from goalkeeper Ronald Koeman Jr. in the 89th minute of their final fixture against FC Volendam. With one of the smallest budgets in the division, they should struggle again.