Belgian First Division A


The Belgian First Division A, or Belgian Pro League since the 2015–16 season, is the top league competition for association football clubs in Belgium. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Belgian First Division B. Seasons run from late July to early May, with teams playing 30 matches each in the regular season, and then entering play-offs I or play-offs II according to their position in the regular season. Play-offs I are contested by the top-six clubs in the regular season, with each club playing each other twice. Play-offs II are contested by teams ranked 7 to 16 in the regular season, divided in four groups of four teams playing each other twice. The team finishing in 16th place is relegated.
The competition was created in 1895 by the Royal Belgian Football Association and was first won by FC Liégeois. Of the 74 clubs to have competed in the first division since its creation, 16 have been crowned champions of Belgium. RSC Anderlecht is the most successful league club with 34 titles, followed by Club Brugge KV, Union Saint-Gilloise and Standard Liège. It is currently ranked 8th in the UEFA rankings of leagues based on performances in European competitions over the last five-years. The competition was ranked 3rd when the UEFA first published their ranking in 1979 and also the next year in 1980, which is the best ranking the Belgian First Division has ever achieved.

History

Origins (1895–1914)

The first league in Belgian football was held in 1895–96 as a round-robin tournament with seven teams: Antwerp FC, FC Brugeois, FC Liégeois, RC de Bruxelles, Léopold Club de Bruxelles, SC de Bruxelles and Union d'Ixelles. FC Liégeois became the first champion of Belgium. The first eight titles in Belgian football were all won by FC Liégeois or RC de Bruxelles. There was no promotion and relegation system at the time but the last two clubs of the league withdrew and a new club entered the competition. During the 1896–97 season, SC de Bruxelles withdrew so the 1897–98 season was played by five clubs only. In the seasons 1898–99 and 1899–1900, the football association introduced a new format with two leagues at the top level and then a final game in two legs. The format though changed back to one league with nine clubs in 1900–01 and then again to two leagues from 1901–02 to 1903–04, this time with a final round among the top two teams of each league. In 1904–05 the championship was organised with one league of 11 teams. Athletic and Running Club de Bruxelles withdrew during the season and, from the 1906 season on, a system of promotion and relegation was introduced with the winner of the second division replacing the last-placed team of the first division.
In 1906–07, Union Saint-Gilloise won their fourth consecutive title as RC de Bruxelles had from 1899–1900 to 1902–03. Both clubs claimed the next three titles before CS Brugeois won their first title, finishing one point ahead their rival of FC Brugeois. At the end of the 1907–08 season, the number of teams in the first division was increased from 10 to 12 clubs, with Promotion champion RC de Gand and runner-up ESC Forest being promoted while no first division was relegated. As World War I approached, Daring Club de Bruxelles confirmed its status of challenger, even winning the title in 1911–12 and 1913–14. Only Union Saint-Gilloise could face them in that period, winning the 1912–13 championship with a better goal difference. Since 1911–12, two clubs are relegated each year to the Promotion and two clubs from the Promotion are promoted.

After World War I (1919–1945)

During World War I, the football championship was suspended. It resumed in 1919–20 with FC Brugeois claiming their first title after 5-second places, among which were 2 lost final games and one lost test-match. At the end of the 1920–21 season, the number of teams was increased from 12 to 14, with only Uccle Sport, the last-placed team of the first division, being relegated, and the first 3 teams from the Promotion being promoted. From 1921–22 to 1931–32, the decade was dominated by teams from the province of Antwerp: Beerschot AC, with Raymond Braine, won their first 5 titles, Antwerp FC their first 2 and the small club of Liersche SK won their first one in 1931–32. The challengers at the time were CS Brugeois, Union Saint-Gilloise, Daring Club de Bruxelles and Standard Club Liégeois. Starting 25 December 1932, Union Saint-Gilloise had a record 60 games unbeaten run in the championship, winning the 1932–33, 1933–34 and 1934–35 titles. The rival of Union during this period was Daring Club de Bruxelles. They claimed the next two championships. Following the come-back of player Raymond Braine to Beerschot, the Antwerp club won the last two titles before World War II.
On 10 May 1940 German troops invaded Belgium and the seasons 1939–40 and 1940–41 were suspended. The competition resumed in September 1941 and Liersche SK won their second title. At the end of the season, no club was relegated and the number of clubs was increased from 14 to 16. The next season, Liersche SK lost three key players and they ended at 3rd place while the neighbours of KV Mechelen became champion for the first time in their history. In 1943–44, Antwerp FC won the title. The league was suspended again in 1944–45 because of World War II.

After World War II (1945–1980)

The league resumed play in 1945–46 with a title for KV Mechelen. At the start of that season, the First Division went from 16 to 19 clubs, with 3 clubs promoted from the First Division and no team being relegated. The top scorer award was also introduced that season, won by Bert De Cleyn from KV Mechelen. Two seasons later, 5 clubs were relegated and two promoted. In 1946–47, RSC Anderlechtois won their first championship with Jef Mermans as the key striker and they dominated the Belgian football over the next 9 years with 6 more titles, with KV Mechelen and FC Liégeois claiming the remaining titles. The Belgian Golden Shoe award was introduced in 1954, rewarding the best player in the first division for the past calendar year, thus over two half seasons.
In the late 1950s Standard lifted the trophy for the first time in 1957–58 and they eventually became one of Anderlecht's biggest rivals in the league. The other titles in the late 1950s were won by Antwerp FC and Anderlecht. In the 1960s, the Anderlecht team of Paul Van Himst claimed 6 titles, while Standard claimed 3 and Lierse 1. Standard, with key player Wilfried Van Moer, then won the first 2 titles of the 1970s, which gave them their only treble so far. 1974–75 was the only season with as many as 20 clubs in the league's history. Belgian clubs started to perform well in European Cups in the 1970s, with Anderlecht winning the 1975-76 European Cup Winners' Cup and Club Brugge losing to Liverpool F.C. in the 1975-76 UEFA Cup final. The following season, Anderlecht lost to Hamburgtrf SV in the Cup Winners' Cup final and, in 1977–78, they won for the second time, while Club Brugge lost the European Cup to Liverpool F.C.. In the Belgian First Division, Club Brugge claimed 4 titles in the decade, while Anderlecht claimed 2 and R White Daring Molenbeek, with Johan Boskamp, and KSK Beveren, with goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff, each claimed their first Belgian championship.

Recent years (1980–present)

In the 1980s, the European successes continued for Belgian clubs with Standard reaching the 1981-82 European Cup Winners' Cup final, Anderlecht winning the 1982-83 UEFA Cup and losing the next UEFA Cup final and KV Mechelen winning the 1987-88 European Cup Winners' Cup. In the domestic league, Anderlecht won their 20th title in 1986–87, which was also the 4th of the decade. Club Brugge and Standard each won 2 titles in the 1980s and KSK Beveren and KV Mechelen one each.
In the 1990s, Belgium's teams performances were diminished in European competitions, with only RSC Anderlecht and Royal Antwerp FC reaching the European Cup Winners' Cup final, respectively in 1989–90 and in 1992–93. In the home league, RSC Anderlecht took 4 titles during the decade, while Club Brugge cemented their status as main contender with 4 titles. The remaining two titles went to Lierse SK and newcomer Racing Genk. The 2000s brought a bright European start, with Anderlecht reaching the second group stage in the 2000-01 UEFA Champions League, but the rest of the decade Belgian clubs were again not very successful in European competitions. In the league, RSC Anderlecht won 5 titles in the decade, with Club Brugge claiming two titles and Racing Genk taking their second title. At the end of the decade, Standard Liège returned as a title contender with two consecutive titles, 25 years after their 1982–83 title. At the end of the 2000s, the highest level in Belgian football was reshaped, with a play-off round after the regular season. RSC Anderlecht won the first championship in this new format, which was their 30th title. After another two titles for Anderlecht, KAA Gent was the surprise winner of the Championship in 2015.

Competition format and naming

Starting with the 2009–10 season the format of the Pro League has been drastically changed. Playoffs were introduced after the regular season, the number of teams was decreased from 18 to 16 and the calendar has also been modified, with matches being played during the Christmas holiday. Many already criticized the format and point out the Dutch Eredivisie, where the playoffs are not being played anymore. RSC Anderlecht won the first championship in this new format, the Belgian Pro League 2009-10, which was their 30th Belgian championship.
Matches are usually played on Saturdays at 20.00. Some matchdays are played on Wednesdays, however. Furthermore, in recent years, some games are played either on Fridays or during the weekend at different times, as decided by the owner of television rights. Each team playing the Pro League must have been granted the Belgian professional football license guaranteeing the club has no excessive debts, has a secure stadium, etc. This was introduced in season 2001–02 to decrease the number of teams in the division and ensure a higher level of professionalism in the clubs playing in the top flight of Belgian football. Originally, clubs that could not get the license were supposed not to be replaced. However, it is still not effective as, for example, KSK Beveren finished 18th in 2001–2002 but were saved as KSC Eendracht Aalst and RWD Molenbeek were refused their license.
Following the 2015–16 season, the number of professional teams in Belgium was brought down to 24, which mostly affected the teams playing at the second level of the Belgian football pyramid as the Belgian Second Division was replaced by the Belgian First Division B and the number of teams dropped to 8.

Regular season

Each of the 16 competitors in the Pro League hosts every other team once in the regular season, for a total of 30 matches between July and March. A win earns three points and a draw earns one point. Teams are ranked by total points, then by total wins and finally by goal difference, number of scored goals, number of away goals and number of away wins. If teams are still level, a test-match is played in two legs to determine the final order in the standings. A playoff phase is then played from March to May.

Championship Playoff

The point system in the championship playoff is the same as during the regular season, except that each team starts with half of the points they won in the regular season, rounded up to the nearest integer. The points gained by rounding are deducted in the case of a tie.
The top 6 teams from the regular season enter the championship playoff, with the first-placed team winning the championship of Belgium. Each team plays their opponents twice, and the teams are ranked by points, points from rounding, wins, etc. as in the regular season.

All-time ranking in the Championship Playoff

RankClubSeasonsPlayedWonDrewLostPointsAvg. PointsTitlesLast participation
1Club Brugge10100492031167173122+5122018–19
2Anderlecht10100482131165154119+3552018–19
3Standard Liège77033152211411592+232018–19
4Genk77032142411010897+1122018–19
5Gent880282023104107111-412018–19
6Zulte Waregem5501211274766102−362016–17
7Charleroi3307815293250−182017–18
8Kortrijk3308517293655−192014–15
9Oostende220659232836−82016–17
10Lokeren3304719193866−282013–14
11Antwerp110424141216−42018–19
12Sint-Truiden11034313910−12009–10

Comprehensive team results by season

; Legend
Team2009–102010–112011–122012–132013–142014–152015–162016–172017–182018–192019–20
Anderlecht6thnot held due to coronavirus
Antwerp4thnot held due to coronavirus
Charleroi5th5th6thnot held due to coronavirus
Club Brugge4thnot held due to coronavirus
Genk5th6th4th5thnot held due to coronavirus
Gent5th4th4th5thnot held due to coronavirus
Kortrijk5th6th6thnot held due to coronavirus
Lokeren6th6th5th
Oostende5th4thnot held due to coronavirus
Sint-Truiden4thnot held due to coronavirus
Standard Liège5th4th4thnot held due to coronavirus
Zulte Waregem6th4th6th6thnot held due to coronavirus

Europa League Playoff

Until 2016, the teams ranked 7 to 14 after the regular season enter the playoffs 2, with teams ranked 7th, 9th, 12th and 14th entering the group A and teams ranked 8th, 10th, 11th and 13th entering the group B. In each group, each team plays each of its 3 opponents twice. The winner of each group plays the final game in two legs, to determine the winner of the playoffs 2. The winner of the playoffs 2 then plays a home and away game against either the fourth-placed or fifth-placed team from the playoffs 1 for the final Europa League ticket, with the opponent depending on whether the Belgian Cup winner ended in the top four of the playoff 1 or not.
From 2016, the system was changed as now the teams ranked 7 to 16 are joined by six teams from the Belgian First Division B and divided into four groups of four teams. The winners of each groups now play a single match to determine the overall playoff winner, with the winner playing the fifth-placed team from playoff 1 in a single match for the final Europa League ticket.

Relegation Playoff

Until 2015 a relegation playoff was played between the teams ranked 15th and 16th after the regular season. It consisted of 5 games between the 2 teams. The 15th-placed team started the playoffs with 3 points whereas the 16th-placed team started from zero. The loser of the relegation playoff was relegated to the second division. The winner of that playoff had to enter the Belgian Second Division Final Round with 3 teams from the second division. The winner of this Final Round played in the First Division the season thereafter.
From 2015 the relegation playoff ceased to exist as now the 16th placed team relegates directly, whereas the 15th placed team takes part in the Europa League playoff. The 2015–16 Belgian Pro League was an exception as during that season the 15th placed team did not take part in any playoff, with the season for that team ending after the regular season.

Qualification for European competitions

For the 2010–11 season, the Belgian champion and the runner-up qualify for the 3rd UEFA Champions League qualifying round. The Belgian Cup winner qualifies for the play-off of the UEFA Europa League. The third-placed team qualifies for the 3rd and last qualifying round and the winner of the game between the play-offs 2 winner and the fourth-placed team qualifies for the 2nd qualifying round.

Naming

Belgium and Luxembourg

The Belgian Football Association sells the television rights for the Belgian First Division every three years. In 2005, the newly created Belgian TV channel Belgacom TV bought the TV rights for a record amount of €36 million per season until 2019–20.
In May 2008, the rights were again sold to Belgacom TV in association with public sector TV channels RTBF and VRT for an amount of €45.7 million per season. RTBF and VRT thus received the rights to show summaries of first division games, as well as rights to a weekly magazine on the competition. Belgacom TV received the rights to show each game in the competition.
In June 12 2020, Aser's Eleven Sports and the Pro League have reached an agreement on the new domestic and international media contract for the coming five years. As exclusive global rights holder, Eleven Sports will air the rights of all Pro League competitions for the next five seasons from 2020–21 until 2024–25.

International

Champions

ClubWinnersRunners-upWinning Years
Anderlecht
34
21
1946–47, 1948–49, 1949–50, 1950–51, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1955–56, 1958–59, 1961–62, 1963–64, 1964–65, 1965–66, 1966–67, 1967–68, 1971–72, 1973–74, 1980–81, 1984–85, 1985–86, 1986–87, 1990–91, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1999–00, 2000–01, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2009–10, 2011–12, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2016–17
Club Brugge
16
25
1919–20, 1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78, 1979–80, 1987–88, 1989–90, 1991–92, 1995–96, 1997–98, 2002–03, 2004–05, 2015–16, 2017–18, 2019–20
Union SG
11
8
1903–04, 1904–05, 1905–06, 1906–07, 1908–09, 1909–10, 1912–13, 1922–23, 1932–33, 1933–34, 1934–35
Standard Liège
10
13
1957–58, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1981–82, 1982–83, 2007–08, 2008–09
K Beerschot VAC
7
7
1921-22, 1923–24, 1924–25, 1925–26, 1927–28, 1937–38, 1938–39
Racing de Bruxelles
6
4
1896–97, 1899–1900, 1900–01, 1901–02, 1902–03, 1907–08
RFC Liège
5
3
1895–96, 1897–98, 1898–99, 1951–52, 1952–53
Daring de Bruxelles
5
4
1911–12, 1913–14, 1920–21, 1935–36, 1936–37
Antwerp
4
11
1928–29, 1930–31, 1943–44, 1956–57
KV Mechelen
4
5
1942–43, 1945–46, 1947–48, 1988–89
Genk
4
2
1998–99, 2001–02, 2010–11, 2018–19
K Lierse SK
4
2
1931–32, 1941–42, 1959–60, 1996–97
Cercle Brugge
3
0
1910–11, 1926–27, 1929–30
KSK Beveren
2
0
1978–79, 1983–84
Gent
1
3
2014–15
RWD Molenbeek
1
0
1974–75
K Berchem Sport
0
3
R Charleroi SC
0
1
KSC Lokeren
0
1
Zulte Waregem
0
1
K Sint-Truiden VV
0
1
R Léopold Club
0
1
ROC de Charleroi
0
1
KRC Mechelen
0
1
K Beringen FC
0
1

Only clubs with more than 50 seasons in first division:
Matri-
culate
ClubNumber of seasons:
total 116 seasons
Period
16Standard Liège1001909-1914, 1921-...
1R Antwerp FC981895-1900, 1901-1968, 1970-1998, 2000-2004, 2017-...
3Club Brugge KV971895-1896, 1898-1928, 1929-1933, 1935-1939, 1946-1947, 1949-1951, 1959-...
35RSC Anderlecht881921-1923, 1924-1926, 1927-1928, 1929-1931, 1935-...
13Beerschot VAC811900-1906, 1907-1981, 1982-1991
7KAA Gent801913-1929, 1936-1967, 1968-1971, 1980-1988, 1989-...
12Cercle Brugge801899-1936, 1938-1946, 1961-1966, 1971-1978, 1979-1997, 2003–2015, 2018-...
30K Lierse SK741927-1948, 1953-1986, 1988-2007, 2010-2015
25KV Mechelen691921-1922, 1924-1925, 1926-1927, 1928-1956, 1963-1964, 1965-1969, 1971-1977, 1981-1982, 1983-1997, 1999-2001, 2002-2003, 2007–2018, 2019-...
4RFC Liège671895-1910, 1912-1913, 1923-1924, 1945-1995
10Union SG581901-1949, 1951-1963, 1964-1965, 1968-1973
22R Charleroi SC541947-1957, 1966-1971, 1974-1980, 1985-2011, 2012-....

A total of 74 clubs have played in the first division since its creation in 1895. Among those 74 clubs, 44 still exist and the 30 other clubs either went into liquidation or merged with another club.

Members for 2020-21

For the 2020-21 season, the participating clubs are listed below.
Club nameCityLast
season
position
First season of
current spell in
top division
Result 17–18Result 16–17Result 15–16Result 14–15Result 13–14
AnderlechtAnderlecht6th1935–363rd1st2nd3rd1st
AntwerpAntwerp4th2017–188th3rd 3rd 10th 7th
Cercle BruggeBruges13th2018–191st 6th 5th 15th11th
CharleroiCharleroi9th2012–136th5th8th5th10th
Club BruggeBruges2nd1959–601st2nd1st2nd3rd
EupenEupen12th2016–1715th13th2nd 3rd 2nd
GenkGenk1st1996–975th8th4th7th6th
GentGhent5th1989–904th3rd3rd1st7th
KortrijkKortrijk8th2008–097th10th9th6th8th
MechelenMechelen1st 2019–2016th7th10th9th13th
Mouscron-PéruwelzMouscron10th2014–1514th15th14th13th4th
OostendeOstend14th2013–1411th4th5th10th9th
Sint-TruidenSint-Truiden7th2015–1610th12th13th1st 3rd
Standard LiègeLiège3rd1921–222nd9th7th4th2nd
Zulte WaregemWaregem11th2005–069th6th6th12th4th

Players

Players in the Belgian First Division can be of any nationality and a club can sign as many foreign players as desired. The first club to start a game with 11 foreign players was KSC Lokeren in 2001. Every year, players are elected for Belgian Golden Shoe awards, the highest awards a player can receive in Belgian competitions, but also for Belgian professional football awards. Players with African descent, origin or nationality can claim a Belgian Ebony Shoe award. Players compete also every season for the Belgian First Division top scorer, since the 1945–46 season.

Top scorers

is the only player to have claimed the top scorer title 4 consecutive times, between 1979–80 and 1982–83. He is also the player to have claimed the most Belgian First Division top scorer titles in his career. Victor Wegria and Josip Weber won the title 3 consecutive times. Wegria eventually finished top scorer a 4th time in 1962–63 still with RFC Liégeois, making him the second player with the most top scorer titles in the history of Belgian First Division top scorers.
The introduction of this title of honour in 1945 was maybe a little too late for first winner Bert De Cleyn as this player has scored the most goals in the history of the Belgian First Division since 1895, though he won the top scorer title only once. Other players in the top ten of the all-time top scorer ranking in the Belgian First Division include Joseph Mermans, Bernard Voorhoof, Rik Coppens, Erwin Vandenbergh and Paul Van Himst.
The first foreign player to claim the title was Dutchman Jan Mulder in 1966–67 with RSC Anderlecht. Since then, 25 foreign players have finished top scorer. Only three foreign players claimed the trophy more than once: Josip Weber, Austrian Alfred Riedl and most recently Frenchman Jérémy Perbet.

International results by Belgian clubs

From the quarter-finals upwards:
ClubResults
Anderlecht
' + '
European Cup/UEFA Champions League:
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup ' + ':
UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League ' + ':
UEFA Super Cup
':
'
European Cup/UEFA Champions League:
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup ':
UEFA Super Cup :
'
European Cup/UEFA Champions League ':
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup:
UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League
':
'
European Cup/UEFA Champions League:
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup ':
UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League:
UEFA Intertoto Cup ':
'
UEFA Cup Winners' Cup ':
UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League:
UEFA Cup/UEFA Europa League:
UEFA Intertoto Cup:
UEFA Intertoto Cup:
  • bold' clubs play in top flight
  • italic'' clubs dissolved or merged
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