Foot & Soccer Soccer Match Reports, Football News 
February 28 – Belgian golf equipment have ditched the controversial playoffs format of the topflight in favour of a conventional 18-club league format.
After 15 seasons, the Belgian Professional League has determined to bid farewell to the playoffs, returning to a basic league mannequin. Underneath the present system, the highest 4 golf equipment play a season-deciding playoff, however factors are halved. Different golf equipment are condemned to extended playoffs for European membership competitors slots or the relegation playoffs.
The playoffs had offered some memorable moments, however the convoluted format shall be dropped from the 2026/27 season in favour of a daily season. The highest 4 golf equipment will get a European ticket whereas the underside two golf equipment shall be relegated.
It’s a format with fewer matches permitting the highest golf equipment to deal with European fixtures and unfold the workload. On the similar time, the smaller golf equipment will not need to cope with empty stadiums and a scarcity of curiosity within the playoffs.
It took weeks of negotiations to get a deal that was pushed by the larger golf equipment. Some, together with Charleroi, stay in opposition to the brand new format.
“The playoffs have at all times introduced a particular stress – ‘unscripted drama’,” mentioned Charleroi chairman Mehdi Bayat. “Now we get the other, however democracy has spoken and that’s the most necessary factor.”
“Some, like me, assume that the brand new system will primarily serve sure golf equipment. Others assume that there’ll now be serenity once more with out the play-offs and that halving of the factors.”
George Bouchez, chairman of second-tier membership Francs Borains, can be against the league format. He believes that it’s going to fail to seize the following technology.
“The proposal on the desk will not be balanced for the Challenger Professional League. We even have to think twice about whether or not the mannequin can generate extra revenue for our soccer. We see that UEFA is innovating in the present day, with their mannequin for the European competitions, and we might then do one thing very conventional? We even have to have the ability to enchantment to a brand new and younger viewers,” mentioned Bouchez.
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