Hoofdklasse

The Hoofdklasse (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈɦoːft.ˌklɑ.sə]) is the 2nd highest league of amateur football in the Netherlands, and the fourth tier in general.

Background

The league is divided into two sections: Saturday and Sunday. This is a result of the traditional pillarisation (Dutch: verzuiling), the segregation of Dutch society. The Saturday-clubs are by and large Protestant Christian clubs, who were not allowed to play on Sunday. The Sunday-clubs were in general Catholic and working class clubs, whose players had to work on Saturday and therefore could only play on Sunday. Although the pillarisation ended in the 1960s and 1970s, the clubs and the league have maintained this division. The Saturday Hoofdklasse and the Sunday Hoofdklasse are divided into three leagues each:

SVB Hoofdklasse

The Hoofdklasse is a football championship for clubs run by the Surinaamse Voetbal Bond. The Hoofdklasse is at the top of the system of Surinamese football championships. The league currently comprises ten teams and operates a system of promotion and relegation. Seasons run from October to May of the next year, with teams playing 18 games in the regular season.

The competition was founded in 1924, when Suriname was still a Dutch colony.

History

At the beginning of the 20th century the NGVB (Guyaneesche Dutch Football Association) was founded. The rival Suriname Football Association was founded on October 1, 1920. There had long been animosity between the two unions, but the opening of the stadium by M. de la Fuente a reconciliation was brought about between the unions. The first club formed by the SVB, and it still occupies an important place within the Surinamese top flight, was S.V. Voorwaarts. This club recently celebrated its 90th anniversary (August 1, 2009). On January 15, 1921, S.V. Transvaal was established. Before the SVB was founded, there was already another association with the same name. It was founded in 1914. With the creation of the current SVB came a newfound momentum in the development of Surinamese football.

Hoofdklasse (women)

The Hoofdklasse is the highest league of amateur women's football in the Netherlands, and the second tier in general.

When the Hoofdklasse was created in 1973, the league was the top level league of the Netherlands, and the winner was named the national champion. After the 2006/07 season, the professional Eredivisie was established as the top level league which now plays out the championship.

There was no relegation and promotion between those two leagues.

In the 2011/12 season the Hoofdklasse became a third level league, as above it the Topklasse was created. The Hoffdklasse thus is the second highest amateur league and now promotes teams to the Topklasse.

Format

From 1973 to 1994, the Hoofdklasse was Championship Playoff between regional champions. Mostly consisting of 6 regional champions that would play each other once. The winner of the group becoming the champion of the Netherlands. Since the 1994-95 season the Hoofdklasse was played nationwide as a 12 team league.

The teams play each other 2 times over the course of the season.