KNVB official warns Eredivisie could remain unfinished due to passport controversy

NAC Breda submitted a formal complaint to the KNVB, the Dutch football association, following their 6-0 defeat away to Go Ahead Eagles on March 15th. The club facing relegation accused Go Ahead Eagles of using a player who was not allowed to participate, insisting the fixture needs to be played again. The individual in question was Dean James, the left-back for the Eagles, who gained Indonesian citizenship in March 2025 and has featured in five matches for the Indonesian national team to date.

NAC Breda argues that Dean James cannot play because he is listed as a Dutch footballer. According to Dutch regulations, acquiring Indonesian citizenship results in the loss of his Dutch passport.

The KNVB stated in the beginning of April that Go Ahead Eagles would face no punishment, although they acknowledged James as an unauthorised participant.

Further reading: Understanding the Dutch sports passport dilemma: Origins, challenges and fixes

'Competition could be left incomplete'

NAC Breda has challenged the KNVB legally on this issue. Should the court decide in support of the Breda side, both the Eredivisie and the KNVB could encounter serious difficulties, according to KNVB director Marianne van Leeuwen in an interview with ESPN.

"The outcome could vary widely. We anticipate significant disruption since several other teams have raised objections and, should the court support NAC, they would likely submit their own claims and start legal actions. Under those circumstances, finishing the league might prove impossible," Van Leeuwen explained.

After NAC's challenge, clubs including Ajax, Feyenoord, Telstar, FC Volendam, Heracles Almelo, and TOP Oss indicated privately that a victory for NAC would prompt them to pursue court cases as well.

The dispute might impact as many as 133 Eredivisie matches where players have lately acquired Indonesian or Surinamese citizenship, noted KNVB lawyer Michiel van Dijk at Tuesday's court session.

As per NAC Breda lawyer Tim Wilms, this is not primarily about citizenships, but a straightforward regulation: "Using a player not permitted to play. Go Ahead utilised an unauthorised player. The KNVB's usual policy requires the game to be rescheduled. The cause of the player's unauthorised status does not matter."

The Utrecht court is set to issue its verdict on the matter next Monday at 12.00 CET.