Country Netherlands Number of teams 8 Relegation to no relegation | Confederation UEFA Level on pyramid 1 | |
 | ||
Founded 2007 (ran until 2012)
2015 | ||
The Eredivisie ( [ˈeːrədiˌvizi]) (Dutch for Honor Division) is a women's football league in the Netherlands. It was established in 2007 and then played for five seasons. After three seasons of a combined top level league with Belgium, the Eredivisie was restarted in the 2015–16 season.
Contents
The champion qualifies for a spot in the UEFA Women's Champions League.
2007–2012
The opening ceremony of the soccer eredivisie for women took place in the Arke Stadion in Enschede at 29 August 2007, with the presentation of the 6 teams. The opening match was played by SC Heerenveen and FC Twente. SC Heerenveen won the match 3–2.
The season 2011–12 was the last season of the Dutch Women's Eredivisie. It was replaced by the Women’s BeNe League, a joint league by Dutch and Belgian teams. As the highest league in the Netherlands the Topklasse was created above the Hoofsklasse.
2015–present
After the BeNe League played its last and third season, the Eredivisie was restarted in the 2015–16 season with seven clubs. Those were the same Dutch clubs that played in the previous BeNe League season.
Format
For its first three seasons, the Eredivisie consisted of six teams playing each other four times a season, twice at home and twice away. The format was changed to a triple round-robin format for the 2010/11 season, when the league was increased to eight teams.
There was no relegation from the Eredivisie, although a relegation/promotion system was planned in the long run.
The renewed Eredivisie sees the seven teams again play each other four times.
Teams
Teams that play in the 2016–17 season.
Achilles'29 have joined the league for the 2016–17 season. Former teams of the Eredivisie are:
Golden shoe
Since 2007 every year the Golden shoe (Dutch: Gouden schoen) is awarded to the best player of the Women Eredivisie. The "Vrouw & Voetbal" magazin started this competition in 2007. The winner receives a golden shoe award. In the season 2009/10 the organisation and election was taken over by "Vrouwenoetbal Nederland" They added an award for the best Keeper and in the season 2010/11 an award for the best talented player was added.