Eredivisie records strong figures for stadium attendance and TV audiences

Stadiums have become increasingly full in recent years. In the 2025/26 season, the average occupancy rate was around 95%, compared with between 85% and 90% in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Average attendance per match has also reached record levels. During the first seven match rounds of this season, an average of 20,251 supporters attended a match involving their favourite club. That is almost 700 more spectators per match than last season. Before the pandemic, average attendance was below 20,000.

At the same time, interest in live Eredivisie broadcasts on ESPN continues to grow. While an average match attracted almost 150,000 viewers in 2016/17, that figure has now risen to around 200,000 per match. With an average of 207,000 viewers so far this season, the Eredivisie has never attracted a larger audience across the first seven match rounds.

On average, an Eredivisie match reaches 436,000 unique viewers. Audience share is traditionally higher at the start of the season due to less competition from other programming during the summer period, but even within that context the current share is at a record level. The Eredivisie is gaining audience share compared with competing content.

Ajax – PSV on Saturday 5 September is the most-watched Eredivisie match of the season so far, reaching nearly 1.4 million unique viewers and an average audience of more than 800,000. The match achieved an audience share of 17% 

The popularity of the Eredivisie is not limited to the traditional top clubs. Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV are naturally important drivers of nationwide audiences and stadium attendance, but many other clubs also play in front of full stands.

N.E.C. Nijmegen, PEC Zwolle and Excelsior Rotterdam, for example, are among the clubs with the highest stadium occupancy rates in the competition. This illustrates the strong regional connection between clubs and their supporters. Across the Netherlands, fans identify closely with their club, city and local community. For many clubs, the question is no longer whether there is sufficient demand, but how they can accommodate that growing demand in the future given current occupancy levels.

The appeal of the competition is also reflected in satisfaction research among stadium visitors. Supporters rate their matchday experience at an average of 7.9 out of 10 (KNVB Expertise Fan Survey, 2025/26). Atmosphere, hospitality and safety are among the main factors contributing to this rating.

In terms of stadium occupancy, the Eredivisie ranks among the top three leagues in Europe. With an occupancy rate of around 95%, the competition is at a comparable level to the English Premier League and German Bundesliga, and above the Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A and French Ligue 1.

The eighteen clubs and Eredivisie CV work together on the continued development of the Eredivisie. This includes ensuring broad distribution of matches on ESPN, improving the fan experience, strengthening the commercial value of the competition, organising joint campaigns and making decisions that contribute to a strong, attractive and sustainable competition.

As the league organisation, Eredivisie CV also brings together the interests of clubs, supporters, players, partners and media. This joint approach supports the continued development of the Eredivisie as an attractive competition.