Vitesse Arnhem, founded in 1892, lost its final legal appeal on August 8, 2025, when the Central Netherlands Court upheld the KNVB’s decision to revoke its professional license. The KNVB cited years of financial mismanagement—including no bank account, absence of an accountant, and failure to submit a viable budget—as well as a pattern of circumventing the licensing system. The club had already been relegated from the Eredivisie following an 18-point deduction triggered by financial irregularities and problematic ownership. The situation was exacerbated by the fallout from economic sanctions tied to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The verdict leaves the Eerste Divisie with just 19 teams, and Vitesse’s upcoming match was canceled. The club stated it was “devastated”, and is now exploring whether it can continue at the amateur level, restructure, or potentially cease entirely.
On 3 September 2025, Vitesse provisionally regained their licence as they won an appeal.
Eerste Divisie 