Next season, at least seventeen games will be played on Sunday evening, the KNVB announced on Wednesday afternoon. Evening games start at 8:00 PM. The football association writes that it has come to that decision in consultation with the clubs from the Eredivisie CV to accommodate Dutch clubs that play in UEFA’s European tournaments. The collective of supporters does not have a good word for the decision and writes in a response that the fans have not been taken into account in any way.
“Within the Eredivisie CV, it has been decided that seventeen games will be kicked off on Sunday evening at 8 p.m.,” the KNVB writes on its website. “After the draw of the group stage of the European tournaments, Sunday evening matches will be determined for the autumn, which also requires approval from the mayor of the host city. This will be done in December for the spring. Each club will play no more than one home game at this time. The away games are also distributed among the clubs.”
For the clubs that are active in the European tournaments and the qualifiers for those tournaments, a number of deadlines apply to make their wishes known to the association. “The matches at this time that are requested by the European clubs are deducted from these seventeen”, the KNVB continues. “It may therefore be that not every club plays once on Sunday evening. If several European clubs submit the same request, the team that has to make the most flying hours for the European match will be preferred.”
Supporters collective Netherlands does not have a good word for the decision of the Eredivisie clubs to play on Sunday evening. “This is contempt of the supporters,” said Matthijs Keuning, chairman of Supporters collective Netherlands against the General Newspaper. “Last year, supporters spoke out en masse against playing football on Sunday evening. Clubs are now consciously opposing that wish. They say they find supporters important, but show the opposite.”
“The decision is extra shameless because it comes after a period in which a lot has been asked of supporters. Many clubs would no longer exist if the supporters had not saved them last period. After an interrupted season, a year without a stadium visit and a new uncertain season for supporters have once again bought season tickets en masse. Then you cannot afford to implement such a large and sensitive change. Clubs should attract children and young people, but exclude that group. the clubs in danger,” Keuning concludes.