2020–21 Belgian First Division A

The 2020–21 Belgian First Division A will be the 118th season of top-tier football in Belgium. As part of a proposal by the Jupiler Pro League's board of directors accepted by the General Assembly on 15 May 2020, the 2020–21 season will involve shortened playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only the top four teams will play off for the title, while teams five through eight will playoff for the remaining ticket into Europe.[1]

Belgian First Division A
Season2020–21
Dates6 August 2020 – 30 May 2021
2021–22 →

Team changes

Waasland-Beveren was relegated as the team was in the last position when the 2019–20 Belgian First Division A was stopped prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their replacement is still uncertain, in case OH Leuven and Beerschot manage to complete the second leg of their promotion playoff in time before the start of the season, the winner will take the spot of Waasland-Beveren, if not, Westerlo will promote instead.

Format change

While the regular season remains unchanged, the end of season play-offs have been shortened temporarily and for the 2020–21 season only. The title playoffs will now only be played by the top four teams (instead of six) and the Europa League play-offs will now be played by the teams finishing fifth through eight (instead of all teams finishing below 6th).

Teams

Stadiums and locations
Locations of the 2020–21 Belgian First Division A teams
Matricule Club Location Venue Capacity
35 Anderlecht Anderlecht Constant Vanden Stock Stadium 21,500
1 Antwerp Antwerp Bosuilstadion 12,975
12 Cercle Brugge Bruges Jan Breydel Stadium 29,042
22 Charleroi Charleroi Stade du Pays de Charleroi 14,000
3 Club Brugge Bruges Jan Breydel Stadium 29,042
4276 Eupen Eupen Kehrwegstadion 08,363
322 Genk Genk Luminus Arena 24,956
7 Gent Ghent Ghelamco Arena 20,000
19 Kortrijk Kortrijk Guldensporen Stadion 09,399
25 Mechelen Mechelen AFAS-stadion Achter de Kazerne 16,700
216 Mouscron Mouscron Stade Le Canonnier 10,571
31 Oostende Ostend Versluys Arena 08,432
373 Sint-Truiden Sint-Truiden Stayen 14,600
16 Standard Liège Liège Stade Maurice Dufrasne 30,023
5381 Zulte Waregem Waregem Regenboogstadion 12,500

Personnel and kits
Club Manager Kit Manufacturer Sponsors
Anderlecht Vincent Kompany and Franky Vercauteren Joma BNP Paribas Fortis
Antwerp Ivan Leko Jako Ghelamco
Cercle Brugge position vacant Erima Napoleon Games
Charleroi Karim Belhocine Kappa Proximus
Club Brugge Philippe Clement Macron Unibet
Eupen Beñat San José Nike Aspire Academy
Excel Mouscron position vacant Uhlsport Star Casino
Genk Hannes Wolf Nike Beobank
Gent Jess Thorup Craft Vdk bank
Kortrijk Yves Vanderhaeghe Jako AGO Jobs & HR
Mechelen Wouter Vrancken Jartazi Telenet
Oostende Alexander Blessin Joma DIAZ Be
Sint-Truiden Kevin Muscat Umbro Golden Palace
Standard Liège Philippe Montanier New Balance VOO
Zulte-Waregem Francky Dury Patrick Willy Naessens Group

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position Replaced by Date of appointment
Cercle Brugge Bernd Storck End of contract[2] End of 2019–20 season Pre-season
Antwerp László Bölöni End of contract[3] Ivan Leko 20 May 2020[4]
Sint-Truiden Miloš Kostić Mutual consent[5] Kevin Muscat 2 June 2020[6]
Oostende Adnan Čustović Replaced[7] Alexander Blessin 7 June 2020[7]
Standard Liège Michel Preud'homme Resigned[8] Philippe Montanier 10 June 2020[9]
Excel Mouscron Bernd Hollerbach Mutual consent[10]

Regular season

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
1 Anderlecht 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 Antwerp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Cercle Brugge 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Charleroi 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 Club Brugge 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
6 Eupen 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
7 Excel Mouscron 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
8 Genk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
9 Gent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10 Kortrijk 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11 Mechelen 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
12 Oostende 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
13 Standard Liège 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
14 Sint-Truiden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 To be decided 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
16 Zulte Waregem 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Updated to match(es) played on 20 May 2020. Source: Belgian Pro League

Results
Home \ Away AND ANT CER CHA CLU EUP EXM GNK GNT KVK KVM OOS STA STR TBD ZWA
Anderlecht —
Antwerp —
Cercle Brugge —
Charleroi —
Club Brugge —
Eupen —
Excel Mouscron —
Genk —
Gent —
Kortrijk —
Mechelen —
Oostende —
Standard Liège —
Sint-Truiden —
To be decided —
Zulte Waregem —
Updated to match(es) played on 20 May 2020. Source: Belgian Pro League
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Notes

    References
    1. "Communicatie na de Algemene Vergadering". Jupiler Pro League. 15 May 2020.
    2. "Cercle Brugge ziet zijn redder vertrekken: Bernd Storck gaat niet in op voorstel" [Cercle Brugge sees saviour depart: Bernd Storck does not accept proposition] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2020-04-22.
    3. "OFFICIEEL: Geen Bölöni meer volgend seizoen bij Antwerp" [OFFICIAL: No Bölöni anymore next season at Antwerp] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2020-05-14.
    4. "Ivan Leko volgt Laszlo Bölöni op als coach van Antwerp" [Ivan Leko succeeds Laszlo Bölöni as Antwerp manager] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2020-05-20.
    5. "STVV EN MILOS KOSTIC NEMEN AFSCHEID" [STVV AND MILOS KOSTIC SAY GOODBYE] (in Dutch). stvv.com. 2020-06-02.
    6. "Muscat is nieuwe STVV-coach, Kostic hield enkel stoel warm: "Plan van Japanners"" [Muscat new STVV-manager, Kostic was only keeping his seat warm: "Japanese Plan"] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2020-06-02.
    7. "Duitser Blessin wordt de nieuwe coach van KV Oostende" [German Blessin becomes new manager of KV Oostende] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2020-06-07.
    8. "Michel Preud'homme stopt als hoofdcoach bij Standard: "Eerlijk zijn met jezelf"" [Michel Preud'homme quits as Standard manager: "Have to be fair to yourself"] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2020-06-08.
    9. "Standard tovert Philippe Montanier uit zijn hoed als nieuwe trainer" [Standard comes up with Philippe Montanier as new manager by surprise] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2020-06-10.
    10. "Moeskroen en coach Bernd Hollerbach gaan uit mekaar" [Mouscron and manager Hollerbach part ways] (in Dutch). sporza.be. 2020-06-10.
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