# Eredivisie (men's handball)

The Nederlandse Handbal Eredivisie is the top Dutch professional handball league. The winners of the Eredivisie are recognised as the Dutch handball champions.

## Competition format

In the first phase of the season, the top 6 teams of the previous season participate in the BENE-League competition. They are joined by the top 6 teams from Belgium. At the same time, the remaining 12 teams, participate in a national competition. In the second phase, the 4 best ranking Dutch teams of the BENE-League, who automatically qualified for next season's BENE-League, compete in a 2-round system for the national title. The first round is a full competition among those 4. In the second round the 2 teams which ended on top, decide in a best-of-three who wins the title. In the final ranking, these teams end up on ranks 1 to 4. The 2 lowest ranking Dutch teams of the BENE-League, together with the 2 best ranking teams of the national competition, compete in full competition, for 2 spots in next season's BENE-League. In the final ranking, these teams end up on ranks 5 to 8. The teams which ended 3 to 10 in the national competition play a 3-round system to decide their final ranking (ranks 9 to 16). Something like a knock-out system with the major difference that losing a match doesn't mean you get eliminated but you continue for the lower ranks, where winning means you continue for the better ranks. So the teams winning in the first round continue for the final ranks 9 to 12 and those losing for the ranks 13 to 16. The same principle is repeated in the second round and final ranks are decided in the third round. Last but not least, the 2 teams who ended at the bottom of the national competition, together with 4-period winners of the Eerste Divisie compete in a 2-round system for 1 spot in next season's Eredivisie. In the first round, the 6 teams are split into 2 groups of 3 in such a way that the 2 Eredivisie teams are never in the same group. In each group, the 3 teams play a full competition. The winners of both groups decide in a best-of-two who plays next season in the Eredivisie. The final spot in the Eredivisie is taken by the champions of the Eerste Divisie.

## 2020–21 season

The following 16 clubs compete in the Eredivisie during the 2020–21 season.
| Team | City | Arena | Notes |
| Green Park/Aalsmeer | Aalsmeer | Sporthal De Bloemhof | Club playing in BENE-League |
| Herpertz Bevo HC | Panningen | SportArena De Heuf | Club playing in BENE-League |
| JD Techniek/Hurry-Up | Zwartemeer | Succes Holidayparcs Arena | Club playing in BENE-League |
| Quintus | Kwintsheul | Eekhout Hal | Club playing in BENE-League |
| KEMBIT-LIONS | Sittard-Geleen | Stadssporthal Sittard | Club playing in BENE-League |
| KRAS/Volendam | Volendam | Sporthal de Opperdam | Club playing in BENE-League |
| Green Park/Aalsmeer II | Aalsmeer | Sporthal De Bloemhof | |
| Herpertz Bevo HC II | Panningen | SportArena De Heuf | |
| BFC | Beek | Sportlandgoed De Haamen | |
| DFS Arnhem | Arnhem | Rijkerswoerd | |
| Dynamico | Oss | Sporthal Rusheuvel | |
| Oosting/E&O | Emmen | Sporthal Angelslo | |
| EHC | Leidschendam-Voorburg | European Sports Dome | |
| Feyenoord | Rotterdam | Wielewaal | |
| GHV | Goirle | Sporthal De Wissel | |
| Havas | Almere | Sporthal Stedenwijk | |
| IMTO Benelux/Hellas | The Hague | Hellashal | |
| The Dome/Handbal Houten | Houten | Sportcentrum The Dome | |
| V&L-Sittardia Combibatie | Sittard-Geleen | LACO Glanerbrook | |
| RED-RAG/Tachos | Waalwijk | Topsporthal De Slagen | |
| KRAS/Volendam II | Volendam | Sporthal De Opperdam | |
| WHC-Herclues | The Hague | Loosduinen | |

## Eredivisie previous champions

* 1954 : Aalsmeer
* 1955 : PSV Handbal
* 1956 : Olympia Hengelo
* 1957 : Olympia Hengelo (2)
* 1958 : Olympia Hengelo (3)
* 1959: Aalsmeer (2)
* 1960 : NILOC Amsterdam
* 1961 : NILOC Amsterdam (2)
* 1962 : Operatie '55
* 1963 : Operatie '55 (2)
* 1964 : Operatie '55 (3)
* 1965 : Operatie '55 (4)
* 1966 : Sittardia
* 1967 : ESCA Arnhem
* 1968 : Sittardia (2)
* 1969 : Sittardia (3)
* 1970 : Sittardia (4)
* 1971 : Sittardia (5)
* 1972 : Sittardia (6)
* 1973 : Sittardia (7)
* 1974 : Sittardia (8)
* 1975 : Sittardia (9)
* 1976 : Sittardia (10)
* 1977 : Sittardia (11)
* 1978 : Duyvestein/Hermes
* 1979 : Sittardia (12)
* 1980 : NCR/Blauw-Wit
* 1981 : NCR/Blauw-Wit (2)
* 1982 : Vlug en Lenig
* 1983 : Vlug en Lenig (2)
* 1984 : Vlug en Lenig (3)
* 1985 : Aalsmeer (3)
* 1986 : Herschi/V&L (4)
* 1987 : Sittardia (13)
* 1988 : Kwantum/Blauw-Wit (3)
* 1989 : HAKA/E&O
* 1990 : VGZ/Sittardia (14)
* 1991 : HAKA/E&O (2)
* 1992 : HAKA/E&O (3)
* 1993 : VGZ/Sittardia (15)
* 1994 : VGZ/Sittardia (16)
* 1995 : Thrifty/Aalsmeer (4)
* 1996 : ANOVA/E&O (4)
* 1997 : Horn/Sittardia (17)
* 1998 : ANOVA/E&O (5)
* 1999 : Horn/Sittardia (18)
* 2000 : ShowBizCity/Aalsmeer (5)
* 2001 : ShowBizCity/Aalsmeer (6)
* 2002 : Wealer/V&L (5)
* 2003 : FIQAS/Aalsmeer (7)
* 2004 : FIQAS/Aalsmeer (8)
* 2005 : KRAS/Volendam
* 2006 : KRAS/Volendam (2)
* 2007 : KRAS/Volendam (3)
* 2008 : Hellas Den Haag
* 2009 : FIQAS/Aalsmeer (9)
* 2010 : KRAS/Volendam (4)
* 2011 : KRAS/Volendam (5)
* 2012 : KRAS/Volendam (6)
* 2013 : KRAS/Volendam (7)
* 2014 : Eurotech/Bevo HC
* 2015 : OCI-LIONS
* 2016 : OCI-LIONS (2)
* 2017 : OCI-LIONS (3)
* 2018 : FIQAS/Aalsmeer (10)
* 2019 : Green Park/Aalsmeer (11)
* 2020 : No champion
* 2021: Green Park/Aalsmeer (12)
* 2022: Green Park/Aalsmeer (13)
* 2023 : KEMBIT-LIONS (4)
| | Club | Titles | Year |
| 1. | Sittardia | 18 | 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1997, 1999 |
| 2. | Aalsmeer | 13 | 1954, 1959, 1985, 1995, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2009, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022 |
| 3. | Volendam | 7 | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 |
| 4. | E&O | 5 | 1989, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998 |
| | Vlug en Lenig | 5 | 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986, 2002 |
| 6. | Operatie '55 | 4 | 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 |
| | Limburg Lions | 4 | 2015, 2016, 2017, 2023 |
| 7. | Olympia Hengelo | 3 | 1956, 1957, 1958 |
| | Blauw-Wit Neerbeek | 3 | 1980, 1981, 1988 |
| 10. | NILOC Amsterdam | 2 | 1960, 1961 |
| 11. | PSV Handbal | 1 | 1955 |
| | ESCA Arnhem | 1 | 1967 |
| | Hermes Den Haag | 1 | 1978 |
| | Hellas Den Haag | 1 | 2008 |
| | Bevo HC | 1 | 2014 |

## EHF coefficient ranking

For season 2017/2018, see footnote
* 24. (23) Eerste Nationele
* 25. (28) Sales Lentz League
* 26. (32) Eredivisie
* 27. (26) Extraliga
* 28. (22) Handball Premier