The 2026/2027 Eredivisie: a preview from Oranje Palace

Eredivisie 2026/2027: everything you need to know about the new season

It’s almost here: the 2026/2027 Eredivisie is about to kick off. Will PSV manage to be the best in the Netherlands for the fourth time in a row? Or will we finally see a decent Feyenoord and Ajax side again, capable of giving the Eindhoven side a run for their money? Following a highly entertaining 2026 World Cup, it’s time for club football once again – which means 34 matches of nail-biting action, with plenty of stunning goals, clumsy fouls, massive blunders and, of course, controversial VAR decisions.

Oranje Palace tells you everything about the 2026/2027 Eredivisie. Who are the top title favourites? Who might spring a surprise? Which team has strengthened its squad the most? In short: you can read more about all the excitement the new football season has in store for us.

When does the 2026/2027 Eredivisie start?

The 2026/2027 Eredivisie kicks off on Friday 7 August. At 8.00 pm, Cambuur and Excelsior will have the honour of kicking off the new season. Reigning champions PSV are in action on Saturday, whilst Feyenoord and Ajax begin their title chase on Sunday.

Key dates for the 2026/2027 Eredivisie

As mentioned, the Eredivisie kicks off on Friday 7 August in Friesland. The first half of the season will then be completed, after which the winter break begins on Sunday 20 December. Once the players have enjoyed Christmas and a training camp in the new year, the 2026–2027 Eredivisie season will resume on Friday 8 January 2027. The final matchday will take place on Sunday 23 May. During this traditional matchday, all 18 teams will play simultaneously.

Fixtures for Matchday 1 – Eredivisie 2026/2027

| Match | Date | Time |
| -------------------------- - | ------------------- | --------- |
| SC Cambuur v Excelsior | Friday 7 August | 8.00 pm |
| NEC Nijmegen v SC Telstar | Saturday 8 August | 4.30 pm |
| Go Ahead Eagles v Willem II | Saturday 8 August | 6.45 pm |
| PSV - Fortuna Sittard | Saturday 8 August | 8.00 pm |
| AZ Alkmaar - ADO Den Haag | Saturday 8 August | 9.00 pm |
| Sparta - Feyenoord | Sunday 9 August | 12.15 pm |
| FC Groningen - FC Utrecht | Sunday 9 August | 2.30 pm |
| PEC Zwolle v Ajax | Sunday 9 August | 2.30 pm |
| SC Heerenveen v FC Twente | Sunday 9 August | 4.45 pm |

Key matches of the 2026/2027 Eredivisie

Of course, it’s also interesting to see when the top matches are taking place. Below are the match dates for the top matches between Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV.

Which clubs are competing in the Eredivisie?

Below is an overview of the 18 teams taking part in the 2026–2027 Eredivisie season:

Promoted and relegated teams

Following a nail-biting finale to last season, FC Volendam failed to retain their place in the Eredivisie. In a head-to-head clash, it was ultimately SC Telstar who came out on top. Meanwhile, Heracles Almelo and NAC Breda finished in 18th and 17th place respectively, failing to avoid relegation to the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. This means that both FC Volendam and NAC Breda will be competing at a lower level this year.

Meanwhile, ADO Den Haag were crowned champions of the KKD in convincing fashion. They were followed by SC Cambuur, who, under the leadership of Henk de Jong, secured promotion to the Eredivisie. In the promotion play-offs, it was ultimately Willem II who managed to secure promotion to the Netherlands’ top football league as well.

Favourites for the league title

Will PSV once again be crowned the best in the Netherlands? Or will Feyenoord and Ajax, under the guidance of their new managers, perform significantly better than in recent years?

The traditional top clubs

At first glance, PSV once again appear to be the clear favourites to win the 2026–2027 Eredivisie. This is mainly because they have been the strongest side in the Netherlands for three seasons running. Furthermore, in Peter Bosz, they still have a manager who has proven himself a success. The only question is: who will still be on the pitch representing the Eindhoven side after the transfer window closes?

As always, the main challengers are Feyenoord and Ajax. Both teams will be keen to put the 2025–2026 season behind them. In Amsterdam in particular, it was a disgraceful display, partly due to the fact that they went through three managers in a single season. Under the leadership of Jordi Cruijff and Míchel, however, the club seems to have found the right path again. We therefore see the Amsterdam side as the biggest challenger to reigning champions PSV.

Possible surprises

One of the biggest surprises – if not the biggest surprise – of last season was NEC Nijmegen. The team from Gelderland played very attacking football and finished in a very impressive third place. This means the Champions League anthem will be heard at De Goffert. The question is: can they cope with performing well in both the Eredivisie and in Europe?

Another team we have high hopes for is AZ Alkmaar. After a rather mediocre season last year, they have at least got off to an excellent start. They won the Johan Cruijff Shield in convincing fashion following a 4-0 victory over PSV – and that was at the Philips Stadion. Can they make life more difficult for the top teams this season?

Players to watch out for this season

Who should we be keeping an eye on this year? Perhaps we should be asking ourselves: will last season’s key players even be on Dutch pitches this year? Ismael Saibari, the best player of the 2025–2026 season, has since moved to Bayern Munich, whilst there is now intense interest in Mika Godts, last year’s most valuable player. Meanwhile, things remain quiet around Feyenoord’s top scorer, Ayase Ueda.

A quiet transfer window at PSV

New players to keep an eye on include Sven Mijnans and Ruben van Bommel. Mijnans joined from AZ Alkmaar for a fee in the millions and will be wearing the PSV shirt this season. Can he live up to his price tag? Ruben van Bommel, PSV’s left winger, suffered a serious injury against Ajax last year but has now returned to the match-day squad. Let’s hope he quickly regains his former form.

Extra experience at Ajax

Things are also buzzing at Ajax in the transfer market. With players such as Daley Blind, Marcos Leonardo, Julian Brandt and Caio Henrique, the record champions are wasting no time in pursuing their ambitions. In addition, there are high expectations surrounding Mohammed Ouazane. The young teenager made an excellent impression in pre-season and is certainly knocking on the door for a place in the starting line-up.

Will the top scorer stay at De Kuip?

Things are still fairly quiet at Feyenoord. There has been a battle for some time now to secure the signature of Givairo Read, the Rotterdam side’s right-back. If he stays, he could well go on to join the ranks of the best players on Dutch pitches. Meanwhile, Rotterdam’s hopes are pinned on Nacho Ferri. The Spanish striker will be expected to score the goals should Ayase Ueda indeed leave.

The surprising NEC

It’s also a busy time for NEC when it comes to transfers. The biggest signing is undoubtedly that of Dusan Tadic. Completely out of the blue, the Serbian is returning to Dutch football, where he will be playing for his fourth club. He previously made a big impression whilst playing for FC Groningen, FC Twente and Ajax. Can he still manage to make a difference at such a late stage in his career?

Frequently Asked Questions

When does the Eredivisie start?

The 2026/27 Eredivisie season begins on Friday 7 August 2026. The opening match is SC Cambuur v Excelsior Rotterdam, followed by the rest of the first round of fixtures over the weekend.

How many clubs play in the Eredivisie?

There are 18 clubs in the Eredivisie. Each team plays 34 league matches, with all teams facing each other both at home and away during the season.

Who are the reigning national champions?

PSV are the reigning Eredivisie champions. The Eindhoven-based side won the league title in the 2025/26 season and will therefore start the 2026/27 season as title holders.

Where can you watch the Eredivisie live?

In the Netherlands, the Eredivisie can be watched live on ESPN. Almost all matches are broadcast live on the sports channels and can also be streamed live via the ESPN app.