Beloften Eredivisie

Beloften Eredivisie
Founded1992
Folded2016
CountryNetherlands Netherlands
ConfederationUEFA
Number of teams8
Level on pyramid1
Relegation toBeloften Eerste Divisie
Domestic cup(s)KNVB Reserve Cup
KNVB Reserve Super Cup
Last championsJong FC Utrecht
Most championshipsJong AFC Ajax (8)

The Beloften Eredivisie (Dutch pronunciation: [bəˈlɔftə(n) ˈeːrədiˌvizi]; "Promised Honor Division") was the highest football league for reserve teams in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB). The league was founded in 1992 as Reserve Teams Eredivisie and this name was in use until the 2000–01 season. The second teams are called beloften teams.

Until the 2009–10 season the league champion, as well as the KNVB Reserve Cup winner, was awarded a ticket for the regular KNVB Cup but the reserve teams were disbanded from the KNVB Cup. A Super Cup was installed instead. There was no promotion and the team finishing at the bottom of the table was relegated to the Beloften Eerste Divisie. The competition was a stand-alone competition and was not incorporated in the Dutch professional or amateur league structure. In recent years there was less interest in the competitions. A lot of teams merged their youth programs and brought joined team into the beloften leagues. The 2012–13 season also saw a big change to the format: the best 3 teams of that season were allowed to promote to the Eerste Divisie. As a result, the reserve teams of PSV Eindhoven, Ajax and FC Twente left the Beloften Eredivisie and played in the aforementioned Eerste Divisie.

The Beloften Eredivisie was dissolved in 2016. The 11 teams that competed in the 2015–16 season were integrated into the league pyramid and assigned to three leagues below the Eredivisie based on points, as indicated in the table below.

Team 2015–16 2012–15 Youth Total points Playing day
1. Jong FC Utrecht 5.50 1.75 2.50 9.75 Saturday
2. Jong Vitesse 5.00 2.50 2.00 9.50 Sunday
3. Jong AZ 4.50 2.00 2.75 9.25 Sunday
4. Jong Sparta 4.00 1.50 2.25 7.75 Saturday
5. Jong FC Twente 3.00 2.75 1.75 7.50 Sunday
6. Jong FC Groningen 3.50 2.25 1.5 7.25 Saturday
7. Jong Almere City FC 2.50 0.50 1.00 4.00 Saturday
8. Jong FC Volendam 2.00 0.75 1.25 4.00 Saturday
9. Jong De Graafschap 1.50 1.25 0.50 3.25 Sunday
10. Jong FC Den Bosch1 1.00 1.00 0.75 2.75 Saturday
11. Jong Achilles '29 0.50 0.25 0.25 1.00 Saturday2

1 Formerly Brabant United. 2 Since the three best clubs were preferred for Saturday, Achilles was assigned to play on Sunday.

Key
Color Qualification
Promoted to 2016–17 Eerste Divisie
To 2016–17 Tweede Divisie
To 2016–17 Derde Divisie