The 2015–16
Topklasse
The Derde Divisie (; en, Third Division), formerly known as Topklasse (; en, Top Class), is the fourth tier of football in the Netherlands, which had its inaugural season as a third tier in 2010–11 and as a fourth tier in 2016–17. The league ...
season was the sixth and last edition of the
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
third tier since its inauguration in the current form in 2010. A total 32 teams participated in the league: 25 from the
2014–15 Topklasse, and the remaining seven from the
2014–15 Hoofdklasse. As usual, the competition was divided into two leagues: "Saturday" and "Sunday", who differed by the day their games were usually played.
For this season only, the first 7 teams from the Saturday and Sunday divisions earned promotion to constitute a new, semi-professional third-division
Tweede Divisie
Tweede Divisie ( en, Second Division) is the highest amateur (and historically the lowest professional) football league in the Netherlands. It was established in 1956, together with the Eredivisie and the Eerste Divisie. Between 1956 and 1960 and b ...
. This change in the league system was approved in a
KNVB
The Royal Dutch Football Association (, ; KNVB ) is the governing body of football in the Netherlands. It organises the main Dutch football leagues (Eredivisie and Eerste Divisie), the amateur leagues, the KNVB Cup, and the Dutch Netherlands nati ...
assembly in December 2014. Thus, the Topklasse and leagues below it decremented by one level, and furthermore, promotion and relegation between the Tweede Divisie and the Topklasse became effective from next season. From next season the Topklasse carries the name Derde Divisie and competes as the fourth division.
Teams
Saturday league
Sunday league
League tables
Saturday league
Sunday league
Promotion play-off
Championship final
The Saturday and Sunday champions play a two-legged final for the overall amateur championship. Both division champions will be promoted to the Tweede Divisie.
''Excelsior won overall Topklasse title 4-3 on aggregate.''
Derde Divisie / Hoofdklasse play-offs
Both for the Saturday and Sunday leagues applies the same systematic.
The team ranked 15th in the Topklasse and the 3 period winners of the 3 Hoofdklasse leagues (9 teams), making a total of 10 teams participate in the play-offs. The 10 teams are paired up to play a 1-round 2 leg knockout system. The 5 winners play next season in the
2016–17 Derde Divisie
The 2016–17 Derde Divisie season is the first edition of the new Dutch fourth tier, formerly called Topklasse, since the restructuring of the league system in the summer of 2016.
This change in the league system was approved in a KNVB assembly ...
and the 5 losers in the
2016–17 Hoofdklasse.
Saturday
Source:
Sunday
Source:
Season Statistics
Top scorers
''Up to and including matches played on 14 and 16 April 2016.''
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:2015-16 Topklasse
Derde Divisie seasons
Neth
3