Royal Dutch Football Association
Encyclopedia
The Royal Dutch Football Association ( [ˈkoː.ˌnɪŋk.lə.kə ˈneː.jər.ˌlɑnt.sə ˈvut.bɑl.ˌbɔnt], or KNVB [ˈkaː ˈɛn ˈveː ˈbeː]) is the governing body of football in the Netherlands
. It organises the main Dutch football leagues (Eredivisie
and Eerste Divisie
), the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup
, and the Dutch national football team
. It is based in the municipality of Zeist
.
The KNVB came into being on 8 December 1889 and was one of the founding members of FIFA
in 1904. The Netherlands Football League Championship
had already existed for a decade unofficially when the association was founded.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. It organises the main Dutch football leagues (Eredivisie
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
and Eerste Divisie
Eerste Divisie
The Eerste Divisie is the second-highest division of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie via a promotion/relegation system. It is also known as the Jupiler League due to sponsorship, which is the same name as the top league in Belgium...
), the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup
KNVB Cup
The KNVB Cup is a competition in the Netherlands organized by the Royal Dutch Football Association since 1899. It was based on the format of the English FA Cup. Outside of the Netherlands, it is often referred to as the Dutch Cup...
, and the Dutch national football team
Netherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
. It is based in the municipality of Zeist
Zeist
Zeist is a municipality and a town in the central Netherlands, located east of the city of Utrecht.-Population centres :*Austerlitz*Bosch en Duin*Den Dolder*Huis ter Heide*Zeist- The town of Zeist :...
.
The KNVB came into being on 8 December 1889 and was one of the founding members of FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
in 1904. The Netherlands Football League Championship
Netherlands Football League Championship
The Netherlands Football League Championship is a Dutch national football championship that began in 1888. The Royal Netherlands Football Association has awarded the championship since 1898. Until 1954, Dutch football was an amateur competition...
had already existed for a decade unofficially when the association was founded.
External links
- KNVB.nl – Official website of the KNVB /
- Netherlands National Football Team History
- Netherlands at FIFA site
- Netherlands at UEFA site