Tweede Divisie (Netherlands)

Tweede Divisie (Netherlands) - the third tier of Dutch club football organised by the KNVB, bringing together top amateur clubs with a limited number of reserve teams. Regulations: the competition is played as a league, typically with 18 teams and a KNVB cap of 2 reserve (Jong) teams, each club plays a double round-robin schedule home and away, with points awarded 3 for a win, 1 for a draw and 0 for a loss. If teams finish level on points, the KNVB ranking sequence applies: goal difference first, then goals scored, then the aggregate outcome of head-to-head matches, and if still level a deciding match can be scheduled. In the football pyramid, standard first teams do not receive automatic promotion to the Eerste Divisie, while movement with the Derde Divisie is handled via direct promotion for Derde Divisie champions and relegation play-offs for the 14th and 15th placed standard teams, with the 16th placed standard team relegated directly, and reserve teams governed by separate KNVB rules. The league does not award direct UEFA qualification.