KNVB wins injunction over Saturday-Sunday club merges in lower tiers

The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) may proceed with plans to merge Saturday and Sunday clubs in the Tweede Divisie and lower amateur tiers next season. A preliminary injunction granted in Utrecht on Friday sided with the KNVB against De Kerngroep Weekendvoetbal, the coalition representing 138 clubs.

Eight amateur clubs formed De Kerngroep and were joined by 130 additional clubs funding the legal challenge. Their objection centres on the KNVB’s plan to integrate Saturday-only and Sunday-only clubs into single competitions from the Tweede Divisie down to the Eerste Klasse. The practice already exists in the Tweede Divisie through the Eerste Klasse but will now extend further down the pyramid.

A full merits hearing remains pending, but De Kerngroep sought an expedited ruling due to the approaching season. The urgent injunction was heard in Utrecht on Tuesday and decided on Friday, providing immediate clarity for the KNVB to finalise next season’s competition structures.

In a statement, the KNVB acknowledged the ruling while expressing regret over the legal confrontation. “We take note of the verdict and are pleased that clarity has been established regarding the implementation of the decision,” the federation wrote. “We regret having to face a number of clubs in court.”

The KNVB justified the measure as a necessity driven by ongoing declines in Sunday teams. “The challenge we face remains substantial. With the continuing decrease in the number of Sunday clubs, it is becoming increasingly difficult in many regions to assemble attractive, regional and equitable competitions,” the federation said. “Therefore, from next season, where necessary, Saturday and Sunday clubs will be placed in a single competition in the Tweede Divisie and lower tiers—not as an end in itself, but as a means to ensure strong, regional and attractive competitions in the future.”