Belgium: a fan's guide for 2009-10
A-Z of Belgian Eerste Klasse clubs
It's got beer, it's got football and it's a train ride away, could it be better? Here's my A to Z at a glance for the Belgian top division for the 2009-10 season.
This list of the top flight clubs in Belgium gives you a rough guide of how to get there. If you live in the south east there's really no better way than Eurostar. It's two hours to Brussels from London - and your return ticket includes onwards travel to any destination in Belgium.
Your best bet for train bookings is direct with www.eurostar.com - to check for timetables throughout Belgium in english visit www.bahn.de
Anderlecht
Stadium: Constant Vanden Stock Stadion (28,000)
From main station: Subway from centre to Saint-Guidon station (visitors to Place Verdis)
Quickest Eurostar from London: Two hours to Brussels
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: FC Brussels (2), Mechelen, Gent
Club website: http://www.rsca.be/index3.php?setlang=en
Cercle Brugge
Club stadium: Jan Breydel (29,000)
From main station: Bus 5 and 15 towards St -Andries-plaats - get off at St-Andries Church and it's a five minute walk
Quickest Eurostar from London: 3 hours 30 mins via Brussels
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Club Brugge (same stadium)
Club website: http://www.cerclebrugge.be/index_en.php?catnr1=100&catnr2=100&catnr3=100&catnr4=100
Charleroi
Stadium: Stade de Pays (25,000)
From main station: 20 min walk from Chareroi Sud along Rue de 'Ecluse
Quickest Eurostar from London: 3 hours 30 mins via Brussels
Closest airports with UK links: Charleroi Brussels South, Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Anderlecht
Club website: http://www.sporting-charleroi.be/hp/fr/hp.asp
Club Brugge
Club stadium: Jan Breydel (29,000)
From main station: Bus 5 and 15 towards St -Andries-plaats - get off at St-Andries Church and it's a five minute walk
Quickest Eurostar from London: 3 hours 30 minutes via Brussels
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Cercle Brugge (same stadium)
Club website: http://www.clubbrugge.be/en/home/index
Germinal Beerschot
Stadium: Olympisch Stadion (12,000)
From main station: Tram 2 from Diamant/ Antwerp Centraal Station to Schijwerpersstraat
Quickest Eurostar from London: xx via Brussels
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Antwerp (2)
Club website: http://www.germinalbeerschot.be/ploegvantstad/
RC Genk
Stadium: Cristal Arena (25,000)
From main station: 3 miles - taxi?
Quickest Eurostar from London: 4 hours 20 mins via Brussels
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Sint-Truiden, Liege
Club website: http://www.krcgenk.be/en/home
AA Gent
Stadium: Jules Ottenstadion (13,000)
From main station: tbc
Quickest Eurostar from London: 2 hrs 30 mins via Brussels
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Lokeren, Anderlecht, Club Brugge, Cercle Brugge
Club website: http://www.kaagent.be/actueel
KV Kortrijk
Stadium: Guldensporenstadion (9,500)
From main station: 10 min walk
Quickest Eurostar from London: 2 hours 30 mins via Lille
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels, Paris
Closest Belgian clubs: Waragem, Mouscron, (Lille, France)
Club website: http://www.kvk.be/cms/
Lokeren
Stadium: Daknam Stadion (9,500)
From main station: 20 min walk
Quickest Eurostar from London: 3 hours 15 mins via Brussels
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Gent, Germinal Beerschot, Mechelen
Club website: http://www.sporting.be/content/index_en.asp
KV Mechelen
Stadium: Achter de Kazerne 'Veoliastadion' (14,000)
From main station: 15 min walk from Mechelen-Nekkerspoel station, or Bus 3 towards Elzestraat
Quickest Eurostar from London: 2 hrs 50 mins via Brussels
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Anderlecht, Westerlo, Germinal Beerschot
Club website: http://www.kvmechelen.be/website/home/index.php?taal=en
Reviews:
http://europeanfootballweekends.blogspot.com/2008/10/dutch-belgian-efw-part-2.html
Club excluded due to financial problems: December 2009
Moeskroen (Mouscron)
Stadium: Le Canonnier (10,500)
From main station: 15 mins walk
Quickest Eurostar from London: 2 hrs 15 mins via Lille
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Kortrijk, Waregem (Lille, France)
Club website: xx
Roeselare
Stadium: Schiervelde (9,000)
From main station: 20 mins walk
Quickest Eurostar from London: 3 hrs via Lille
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Kortrijk, Club Brugge, Cercle Brugge
Club website: http://www.ksvroeselare.be/index.php?id=10&no_cache=1
Sint-Truiden
Stadium: Stayen (12,000)
From main station: Turn right, 5 mins walk
Quickest Eurostar from London: 4 hrs via Brussels
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Westerlo, Genk
Club website: http://www.stvv.com/nl
Standard Liege
Stadium: Stade Maurice Dufrasne (27,000)
From main station: 30 mins walk from Liege Guillemins, 10 mins from Sclessin station, from Xavier Neujean Place Bus 2 or 3
Quickest Eurostar from London: 3 hrs via Brussels
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels, Charleroi
Closest Belgian clubs: Anderlecht, Sint-Truiden, (Aachen, Germany)
Club website: http://www.standard.be/
Westerlo
Stadium: 't Kuipje (8,000)
From main station: No station in Westerlo (it's a village, closest station Aarschot towards Brussels, 15 miles, or Herentals towards Antwerp, 10 miles
Quickest Eurostar from London: 3 hrs 15 mins via Brussels to Aarschot, 3 hrs 30 mins via Brussels to Herentals
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels
Closest Belgian clubs: Germinal Beerschot, Mechelen, Genk
Club website: http://www.kvcwesterlo.be/
Zulte Waregem
Stadium: Regenboogstadion (8,500)
From main station: 20 mins walk via Stationstraat
Quickest Eurostar from London: 2 hrs 45 mins via Lille
Closest airports with UK links: Brussels/ Paris
Closest Belgian clubs: Kortrijk, Mouscron, Gent, Roeslare
Club website: http://www.essevee.be/functions/home.asp?pnav=;1;&lang=fr
Eerste Klasse map
Click here to view a Google map of where to find the 2009-10 Belgium top league clubs.
Belgium kick off times
The Belgian league kicks off at the start of August and runs through to mid March with no winter break. In March the play offs kick in and run through to early May.
The play offs are a new idea for 09/10. Those in positions 1 to 6 will play off for the championship, with those finishing in positions 7 to 14 playing off to decide the team which will play the team that comes third in the championship playoffs for the last European place. Confused?
Those in 15th and 16th places are relegated.
At the end of the regular season, the numbers 1 to 6 will play the
playoffs for the championship, in which they start with half of the
points they reached during the regular season. Numbers 7 to 14 will
play playoffs to decide which team can play against the number three of
the championship playoffs for the last European ticket. Number 15 and
16 will relegate to second division.
The main kick off time is Saturday at 8pm with alternative TV kick off times at 8.30pm on Friday, and early and late afternoon on Sundays.