Following the Coronavirus pandemic that struck most of the world, the Dutch Eredivisie football league has been cancelled and voided. The government made a crucial decision regarding all major events in the country until September.
Dutch Eredivisie Voided
Bekijk hier de toelichting op de afwikkeling van het betaaldvoetbalseizoen: https://t.co/LxW5u3K3nV.
— KNVB (@KNVB) April 24, 2020
KNVB Statement
In an official statement, the KNVB has stated that the season will not continue again. Following a statement from the country’s government that no mass gatherings and events are able to go ahead until September 2020, the KNVB took the action. A part of the KNVB’s statement reads: “Unfortunately, with the cabinet’s most recent corona measures, it has become impossible to complete the 2019/2020 season of professional football competitions in time.”
The League’s Standings
There will be no relegation or champions in this year’s Eredivisie after the statement described that the competition will be completely cancelled.
With nine games left to play, Ajax sat at the top of the league, leading AZ Alkmaar on goal difference. Cambuur, who sat top of the second tier of Dutch football, are denied promotion to the Eredivisie.
Ajax and AZ Alkmaar will both progress to Champions League qualification rounds thanks to their placement in the top two spots in the league. However, there will be no declared champion, meaning Ajax must wait to defend their 2018/19 title. It also means that Alkmaar lose out on the chance of pipping Ajax to the crown.
No team going down means that RKC Waalwijk, ADO Den Haag and Fortuna Sittard survive.
Financial Problems
The KNVB also added to their statement that they were not let off financially unscathed from this scenario. They added: “It also means a serious financial blow to the professional football industry, which has thousands of jobs and millions of fans.”
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