The Dutch Football Association has ended the 2019/20 Eredivisie season, meaning there will be no champion.
It comes after prime minister Mark Rutte banned professional football in the country until September.
The decision means that there will be no promotion or relegation and that Ajax, who currently sit top of the Eredivisie, will not be crowned champions.
The Eredivisie becomes the first major European league to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It was announced earlier in the week that the top flight “intends not to continue” after the national government extended a ban on all major sporting events in the Netherlands.
And official confirmation of that came on Friday (April 24).
There is the matter of European places to decide, though, however that’s already been worked out.
Ajax, currently in first place on goal difference, will go into the last round of qualification for next season’s Champions League.
Second-placed AZ Alkmaar will go into the second round of qualification for the competition while Feyenoord will go into the group stage of the Europa League.
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“Based on the government’s decision, the KNVB will consult with Uefa, after which the decision will be taken,” a KNVB statement said, per BBC Sport.
“The KNVB has not yet definitively cancelled competitions because of financial difficulties in the football industry due to the corona crisis.”
Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan told BBC World Service: “It’s a massive blow for all the professional clubs at the highest level.
“The Eredivisie was hoping they could resume. But we know it is impossible to organise matches with fans and the prime minister says it is not wise to do it without fans.”
It remains to be seen if any other major leagues will take the same steps that the Dutch FA have.
PSV and Willem II will both enter the Europa League in the qualification rounds.
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