The Eerste Divisie, also known as the Keuken Kampioen Divisie for sponsorship reasons, is the second-highest professional football league in the Netherlands. Established in 1956, the league serves as a crucial stepping stone for teams aspiring to reach the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football. The league consists of 20 teams, who compete in a season that runs from August to May. Each team plays 38 matches, and the top team at the end of the season earns automatic promotion to the Eredivisie. Additionally, teams finishing in the top spots enter a complex playoff system, where they compete for additional promotion slots.

The Eerste Divisie is known for its competitive nature and for developing young talent, with many players using the league as a platform to progress to higher levels of football. Clubs that have been relegated from the Eredivisie often find the Eerste Divisie challenging, as the league is characterized by unpredictable results and fierce competition. The bottom team may face relegation to the Tweede Divisie, the third tier of Dutch football, making every match in the Eerste Divisie crucial. The league plays a vital role in Dutch football, bridging the gap between amateur and top-tier professional play, and is closely followed by fans and scouts alike​.

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