Challenges Facing Women’s Football in the Netherlands

The state of women’s football in the Netherlands has not progressed significantly in recent seasons. The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) is keen to see growth and development in the sport, yet it appears that commercial interests are taking precedence over these objectives.

In previous years, nearly all Women’s Eredivisie matches were scheduled for Friday evenings, providing a great kickoff to the weekend at a convenient time of 19:30. However, for the past three seasons, these matches have been split between Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

AZ Alkmaar has experienced similar issues, with both their men’s and women’s teams playing at the same time on three occasions. This situation calls for a thorough evaluation by the KNVB. It is common for broadcasters to have significant influence over the scheduling of matches, as they aim to ensure that all games are aired live. Unfortunately, the desire to broadcast women’s matches live has not been fully realized, as only two matches are available in this format, with others being shown later on a secondary channel.