Jump to content

Belgian Division 2: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Precision added.
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile app edit iOS app edit
expanded for clarification
Line 14: Line 14:
| website =
| website =
| last = ''inaugural season''
| last = ''inaugural season''
| current = [[2018–19 Belgian Second Amateur Division]]
| current = [[2019–20 Belgian Second Amateur Division]]
}}
}}
The '''Belgian Second Amateur Division''' is the fourth-highest division in the [[Football in Belgium|Belgian football]] [[Belgian football league system|league system]], one level below the [[Belgian First Amateur Division]]. It was created by the [[Royal Belgian Football Association]] in 2016, replacing the [[Belgian Third Division]]. The division consists of three separate leagues with 16 teams each, two of these leagues consist of teams playing with a license from the ''Voetbalfederatie Vlaanderen'' (VFV, the Dutch speaking wing of the [[Royal Belgian Football Association|RBFA]]) and one with teams with a license from the ''Association des Clubs Francophones de Football'' (ACFF, the French speaking wing of the RBFA).
The '''Belgian Second Amateur Division''' is the fourth-highest division in the [[Football in Belgium|Belgian football]] [[Belgian football league system|league system]], one level below the [[Belgian First Amateur Division]]. It was created by the [[Royal Belgian Football Association]] in 2016, replacing the [[Belgian Third Division]]. The division consists of three separate leagues with 16 teams each, two of these leagues consist of teams playing with a license from the ''Voetbalfederatie Vlaanderen'' (VFV, the Dutch speaking wing of the [[Royal Belgian Football Association|RBFA]]) and one with teams with a license from the ''Association des Clubs Francophones de Football'' (ACFF, the French speaking wing of the RBFA).
Line 22: Line 22:


==Competition format==
==Competition format==
In each of the three separate leagues, the season is a regular round-robin tournament with 16 teams. The winners of each league are promoted to the [[Belgian First Amateur Division]]. The teams finishing in second place and the three period winners (the season is divided into three periods) in each league will playoff together, the three winners of this ‘upward’ phase then competing in a ‘downward’ phase with the 13th placed team from the [[Belgian First Amateur Division]] for the final promotion spot. Regarding relegation, the bottom two teams from each league are relegated to the [[Belgian Third Amateur Division]], but the number of teams to be relegated can increase depending on the number of teams being relegated directly from the Belgian First Amateur Division.<ref name=kbvb>{{cite news|title=Bondsreglement|url=http://static.belgianfootball.be/project/publiek/reglement/reglement_nl.pdf|accessdate=2 May 2016|publisher=[[Royal Belgian Football Association]]|date=14 April 2016|language=Dutch}}</ref>
In each of the three separate leagues, the season is a regular round-robin tournament with 16 teams. The winners of each league are directly promoted to the [[Belgian First Amateur Division]]. Besides these three promoting teams, one additional promotion is possible: for this twelve other teams are in contention as four teams in each league qualify for the end of season playoffs. The eight teams from the VFV side are grouped together to compete in a VFV playoff for two spots in the playoff final, the four teams from ACFF side playoff for one spot. The two VFV winners and the ACFF winner are joined by the 13th placed team from the [[Belgian First Amateur Division]] in the playoff final, with the winner of those four taking the final promotion spot (in case the team from the Belgian First Amateur Division wins, this team remains at that level and no extra team from the Belgian Second Amateur Division is promoted besides the three league winners).

Regarding relegation, on ACFF side the bottom three teams are relegated to the [[Belgian Third Amateur Division]], while on VFV side only the bottom two teams from each league are relegated. Additionally, based on the language group of the directly relegating teams from the [[Belgian First Amateur Division]] each season, it is possible that there will be up to three extra relegations on each side. On ACFF side this just means that any additional required relegations will happen from bottom upwards, starting with the 13th finisher, then 12th finisher and so on. On VFV side, a relegation playoff is organised each season between the two teams finishing 14th, with the losing team first in line to drop in case needed, followed by the winner. If an additional relegation would be necessary, the 13th placed teams would need to playoff as well.<ref name=kbvb>{{cite news|title=Bondsreglement|url=http://static.belgianfootball.be/project/publiek/reglement/reglement_nl.pdf|accessdate=2 May 2016|publisher=[[Royal Belgian Football Association]]|date=14 April 2016|language=Dutch}}</ref>


==Past winners==
==Past winners==

Revision as of 09:28, 17 December 2019

Belgian Division 2
Founded2016
CountryBelgium
ConfederationUEFA
Number of clubs48
Level on pyramid4
Promotion toBelgian First Amateur Division
Relegation toBelgian Third Amateur Division
Domestic cup(s)Belgian Cup
Current championsSint-Eloois-Winkel (A), Patro Eisden Maasmechelen (B) and La Louvière Centre (C)
(2018–19)
Current: 2019–20 Belgian Second Amateur Division

The Belgian Second Amateur Division is the fourth-highest division in the Belgian football league system, one level below the Belgian First Amateur Division. It was created by the Royal Belgian Football Association in 2016, replacing the Belgian Third Division. The division consists of three separate leagues with 16 teams each, two of these leagues consist of teams playing with a license from the Voetbalfederatie Vlaanderen (VFV, the Dutch speaking wing of the RBFA) and one with teams with a license from the Association des Clubs Francophones de Football (ACFF, the French speaking wing of the RBFA).

History

The Belgian Second Amateur Division was created in 2016 as successor of the Belgian Third Division following an overhaul of the Belgian football league system which saw the number of professional clubs reduced to 24. As a result, from the third level and below only amateur clubs remain.[1] The two remaining levels above the Belgian Provincial leagues were reformed into three amateur levels, namely the Belgian First Amateur Division, the Belgian Second Amateur Division and the Belgian Third Amateur Division. As a result, the Belgian Provincial leagues dropped to the sixth level of the league system.

Competition format

In each of the three separate leagues, the season is a regular round-robin tournament with 16 teams. The winners of each league are directly promoted to the Belgian First Amateur Division. Besides these three promoting teams, one additional promotion is possible: for this twelve other teams are in contention as four teams in each league qualify for the end of season playoffs. The eight teams from the VFV side are grouped together to compete in a VFV playoff for two spots in the playoff final, the four teams from ACFF side playoff for one spot. The two VFV winners and the ACFF winner are joined by the 13th placed team from the Belgian First Amateur Division in the playoff final, with the winner of those four taking the final promotion spot (in case the team from the Belgian First Amateur Division wins, this team remains at that level and no extra team from the Belgian Second Amateur Division is promoted besides the three league winners).

Regarding relegation, on ACFF side the bottom three teams are relegated to the Belgian Third Amateur Division, while on VFV side only the bottom two teams from each league are relegated. Additionally, based on the language group of the directly relegating teams from the Belgian First Amateur Division each season, it is possible that there will be up to three extra relegations on each side. On ACFF side this just means that any additional required relegations will happen from bottom upwards, starting with the 13th finisher, then 12th finisher and so on. On VFV side, a relegation playoff is organised each season between the two teams finishing 14th, with the losing team first in line to drop in case needed, followed by the winner. If an additional relegation would be necessary, the 13th placed teams would need to playoff as well.[2]

Past winners

Season Division A winner (VFV) Division B winner (VFV) Division C winner (ACFF) Promotion play-off winner
2016–17 Knokke Berchem Sport Châtelet Aalst
2017–18 Rupel Boom Tessenderlo RWDM47 RFC Liège
2018–19 Sint-Eloois-Winkel Patro Eisden Maasmechelen La Louvière Centre Visé

References

  1. ^ "La réforme du championnat approuvée: une grande lessive se prépare en D2 (INFOGRAPHIE)" (in French). dh.be. 15 June 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
  2. ^ "Bondsreglement" (PDF) (in Dutch). Royal Belgian Football Association. 14 April 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=Belgian_Division_2&oldid=931160636"