Belgian First Division B

Belgian First Division B
Founded 2016
Country Belgium
Confederation UEFA
Number of teams 8
Level on pyramid 2
Promotion to Belgian First Division A
Relegation to Belgian First Amateur Division
Domestic cup(s) Belgian Cup
Current champions Cercle Brugge
(2017–18)
Website Official website
2018–19 Belgian First Division B

The Belgian First Division B (officially known as Proximus League) is the second-highest division in the Belgian football league system, one level below the Belgian First Division A. It was created by the Royal Belgian Football Association in 2016, replacing the Belgian Second Division.

History

The Belgian First Division B was created in 2016 as the successor of the Belgian Second Division following an overhaul of the Belgian football league system which saw the number of professional clubs reduced to 24 and the number of teams at the second level of the football pyramid to 8. [1]

Competition format

The season comprises two separate competitions in which all 8 teams play each other twice. The winners of both competitions face each other in a two-legged playoff with the winner promoted to the Belgian First Division A. The top three teams, excluding the promoted team, play together with the teams finishing in the positions 7 through 15 of the Belgian First Division A in a playoff for a ticket into the UEFA Europa League. The remaining four teams play a relegation playoff, with the last team relegating into the Belgian First Amateur Division.

Past results overview

Season Opening tournament winner Closing tournament winner Promotion play-off winner Europa League play-offs qualifiers Relegated
2016–17RoeselareAntwerpAntwerpLierse, Roeselare and Union SGLommel United
2017–18Beerschot WilrijkCercle BruggeCercle BruggeBeerschot Wilrijk, OH Leuven and Liersenone [nb 1]

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Although Tubize finished last and would have been relegated, Lierse went bankrupt and was removed as a team. As a result, Tubize remained in the Belgian First Division B while the matricule of Lierse was removed.

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.
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