Belgium/Pro League: clubs vote in favour of a "Beneleague" with clubs from the Netherlands

"The general assembly of the Pro League has unanimously voted for an agreement in principle concerning the orientation of Belgian professional football. The 25 clubs are unanimous in their desire to give every chance to the possible creation of the Beneleague," announced the Belgian professional football league on 16/03/2021. The Beneleague project consists of the creation of a league made up of the best Belgian clubs (8 of the 18 clubs currently playing in the Jupiler Pro League) and Dutch clubs (10 of the 18 clubs playing in the Eredivisie) in order to create a larger market, with the hope of increasing TV rights in particular.

"This ambition is based both on respect for the sporting aspirations of the big clubs and the need for economic stability for the other professional clubs. (...) The management of the Pro League will play an active role in this project from now on," said the body, whose clubs have seen their revenues fall by 50% in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic (see below).

"The Beneleague must go hand in hand with the guarantee of economic stability for the…