If no more files end up on the table of the Voetbal Vlaanderen licensing commission within two weeks, there could be no amount of Nationaal 1 VV in the Challenger Pro League this season
And if there is one, well it is already known.
It will be, whatever its final ranking, but still on the condition of finishing in the top 6 of the series, SK Hasselt, currently fourth with 27 points.
It is in fact the only one of the sixteen clubs in the series to have so far requested the license to play in the Challenge Pro League in 2025-2026.
“However, we will have to succeed in raising 2 million euros before April 15,” President Sam Kerkhofs recently declared on Play Sports.
Tirlemont and Jong Gent will give up
Clubs have until January 15 to submit their file.
But we should not expect to see Tirlemont, the leader with 32 points, nor apparently Jong Gent, second with 28 points, apply at the last minute.
Which is not without positive consequences, for once, for Walloon football.
He could in fact collect a ticket, and thus see two of his clubs access the upper floor.
On the condition, therefore, that Hasselt does not rank among the top six in the Flemish series.
The sad example of Deinze calls for caution
In this case this would concern AEC Mons; currently leader of Nationale 1 ACFF with 37 points, Royale Union Tubize Braine, third with 34 points and Excelsior Virton, fourth with 39 points, who applied for the license.
But Olympic Charleroi, second with 36 points, can still do it, which seems unlikely.
This is also the case for Union Rochefortoise, fifth with 27 points, which we know is very ambitious, but perhaps not ready to take all the financial risks by wanting to skip ahead.
The sad example of Deinze is enough to cool the ardor…
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