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2024–25 Challenger Pro League

Football league season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The 2024–25 season of the Challenger Pro League began on 16 August 2024 and is scheduled to end in May 2025. It is the third season under its new name after being renamed from First Division B.

Quick Facts Season, Champions ...

Team changes

Incoming

Outgoing

Name change

  • Lierse Kempenzonen announced on 13 June 2024 that it had received approval to change the club name to Koninklijke Lierse Sportkring, thereby taking the same name Lierse as the former now defunct club Lierse SK.[1]
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Team information

Stadiums and locations

More information Matricule, Club ...
  1. Club NXT did not play its home matches at the same venue as the A-squad of Club Brugge (the Jan Breydel Stadium) but rather they moved to Roeselare to play in the Schiervelde Stadion.
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Regular season

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League table

More information Pos, Team ...
Source: Challenger Pro League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Matches won; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Away matches won; 6) Away goal difference; 7) Away goals made.[9]
(C) Champions; (D) Disqualified; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated; (Z) Could be relegated if appeal successful.
Notes:
  1. Initially, Lokeren-Temse had not applied for a footballing license to play at the highest level of Belgian football. After the deadline had passed, the club had decided to apply for a license after all, but on 17 April this was denied. The club was therefore initially not allowed to participate in the promotion play-offs but appealed the decision, which allowed them to participate (instead of next placed Lierse). A final verdict still needs to be given, meaning that even if Lokeren-Temse were to win the promotion play-offs, they might still be denied promotion.[2]
  2. The Pro League approved the new competition format for the coming seasons by the end of February. Part of the haggling between club presidents resulted in a new rule for the ongoing season which entered with immediate effect, stating that a minimum of four U23 would always need to be present in the Challenger Pro League. As only three teams are currently present, all three will be spared of relegation in case of ending in a relegation spot. At the time of the decision, there were still seven matchdays to play and Jong Genk was in a relegation spot. In case they overtake a non-U23 team, that team would however have face relegation.[3] After the penultimate matchday, with Jong Genk now mathematically certain of finishing in 15th, the Pro League announced that Jong Genk had been relegated after all. Apparently, the league reform as decided and announced at the end of February was still not officially approved.[4] On 16 June 2025, just weeks before the start of the 2025–26 Challenger Pro League, the Pro League announced that the High Council of the Belgian FA had approved the reform, meaning Jong Genk would be able to remain at the second level.[5] The One week later, on 1 July 2025, Francs Borains, Lokeren-Temse and Seraing together launched a formal appeal against the reform citing it unfair that U23 cannot be relegated whilst non-U23 teams can. Should the Belgian Competition Authority rule in their favor, the start of the 2025–26 Challenger Pro League could be postponed.[6] Meanwhile the new calendar, including Jong Genk, was already released on 3 July 2025.
  3. On 12 November 2024, Deinze was deducted 3 points for outstanding unpaid player wages.[7] One month later, on 11 December 2024, the club was declared bankrupt and all its results were voided. The club will be considered last and only one other team will be relegated.[8]

    Positions by round

    The table lists the positions of teams after the completion of each round, with postponed matches and points deductions only included when occurring. Teams with fewer matches played are shown with their position underlined, with each line representing one fewer match.

    • On 12 November, between matchdays 11 and 12, Deinze was deducted 3 points for outstanding unpaid player wages.[7]
    • On 11 December, between matchdays 14 and 15, Deinze was declared bankrupt and all their results voided. The team will be classified last and only one other team will be relegated.[8]
    • Due to snow, several matches of matchday 17 were postponed: Lokeren-Temse vs Eupen, Lommel vs Francs Borains, RSCA Futures vs Jong Genk and Seraing vs Lierse.[10] All four matches were rescheduled for the midweek of 28-29 January, in between matchdays 19 and 20.[11]
    • On 27 February, between matchdays 23 and 24, the Pro League approved the new competition format for the coming seasons. Part of the haggling between club presidents resulted in a new rule for the ongoing season which entered with immediate effect, stating that a minimum of four U23 would always need to be present in the Challenger Pro League. As only three teams are currently present, all three will be spared of relegation in case of ending in a relegation spot.[3] When it was however mathematically certain Jong Genk would end 15th, the Pro League announced Jong Genk would get relegated, as the league reform had not received approval (yet).[4]

    Colored cells refer to being promoted (green), in promotion play-offs (yellow) or relegation play-offs (red). Note that U23 teams are ineligible for promotion and playoffs, and the coloring is adjusted accordingly. Furthermore, if one of the mother clubs of these three teams is relegated, the U23 would automatically take up one of the relegation spots as U23 teams always have to remain at least one level below their mother club, this is not accounted for in the coloring until after the season.

    More information Team ╲ Round, Zulte Waregem ...
    1. ineligible for promotion and playoffs. Between matchdays 23-29 also ineligible for relegation, as well as after the season.
    Source: vbal4.be

    Results

    More information Home \ Away, ZWA ...
    Updated to match(es) played on 18 April 2025. Source: Flashscore
    Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
    Notes:
    1. Matches cancelled as Deinze was declared bankrupt on 11 December.[8]
    2. Results voided on 11 December as Deinze was declared bankrupt.[8]
    3. Several matches in the weekend of 10-12 January were postponed due to snow and rescheduled for 28-29 January.[10][11]
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    Promotion play-offs

    Promotion/relegation play-offs

    The promotion/relegation play-offs are contested by the four highest eligible finishers not already promoted directly. Normally this would be the teams in positions 3 to 6 in the 2024–25 Challenger Pro League, but as Club NXT (6th, U23-team) was ineligible, Lokeren-Temse (7th) took the final spot. At the time the play-offs started however, Lokeren-Temse had not been awarded a license to play at the highest level for the coming season which would have made them ineligible to compete. The club launched an appeal against this decision however which meant that the negative license decision was suspended and they could take part. Should the appeal however be rejected, the club will not be able to promote.[2] These four teams meet in a knockout tournament with both quarter-finals and semi-finals over two legs, and the highest season finisher always having home advantage in the return leg. The winner of the semi-finals will play the 14th place finisher of the 2024–25 Belgian Pro League over two legs. The Belgian Pro League team will have home advantage in the return leg; the winner of the final will qualify to play in the 2025–26 Belgian Pro League, with the loser playing in the 2025–26 Challenger Pro League.

    Bracket

    Quarter-finals

    More information Lokeren-Temse, 2–0 ...
    Attendance: 2,676
    Referee: Massimiliano Ledda
    More information RWD Molenbeek, 3–2 ...
    Attendance: 2,869
    Referee: Klass Clerkx

    Lokeren-Temse won 4–3 on aggregate.


    More information Patro Eisden Maasmechelen, 3–2 ...
    Patro Stadion, Maasmechelen
    Attendance: 1,011
    Referee: Wesli De Cremer
    More information Beveren, 1–2 ...
    Attendance: 4,346
    Referee: Kevin Van Damme

    Patro Eisden Maasmechelen won 5–3 on aggregate.

    Semi-finals

    More information Lokeren-Temse, 1–2 ...
    Attendance: 5,062
    Referee: Bert Verbeke
    More information Patro Eisden Maasmechelen, 1–1 ...
    Patro Stadion, Maasmechelen
    Attendance: 2,385
    Referee: Nathan Verboomen

    Patro Eisden Maasmechelen won 3–2 on aggregate.

    Finals

    More information Patro Eisden Maasmechelen, 1–5 ...
    Patro Stadion, Maasmechelen
    Attendance: 5,000
    Referee: Nicolas Laforge
    More information Cercle Brugge, 3–1 ...
    Attendance: 7,932
    Referee: Wim Smet

    Cercle Brugge won 8–2 on aggregate.

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    Season statistics

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    Top scorers

    As of 18 April 2025.[12]

    Note that following the bankruptcy of Deinze on 11 December, all goals made in matches involving Deinze were removed as these matches were voided.[8]

    6 goals (6 players)
    1 goal (86 players)
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    Number of teams by provinces

    Notes

      References

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