Freak promotion race: FC Den Bosch need to lose to reach promotion play-offs

The contest for promotion to the Eredivisie is coming down to the wire. ADO Den Haag have already claimed the title in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, while SC Cambuur have locked in second position, leaving just one remaining route to the Eredivisie. This opportunity will come via the promotion play-offs, featuring six teams from the Keuken Kampioen Divisie and one from the Eredivisie battling for a place in the top flight.

Teams can earn entry to these play-offs in two ways. The first is by ending up between third and eighth in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie table, and the other is through securing a period title. The season splits into four periods of eight matches each. Each period winner earns a play-off berth, but with the final period title still undecided, an unusual scenario has emerged.

Periodical challenges

Willem II lead period 4 at the moment, with ADO Den Haag right behind them. Sitting third overall, Willem II have already qualified for the play-offs, and ADO Den Haag are guaranteed promotion as champions.

Vitesse occupy third spot after being on the brink of collapse last September when their professional licence was withdrawn, yet they staged a remarkable recovery to position themselves well for promotion. Still, trailing by only two points in period 4 might not suit them anymore.

FC Den Bosch will end the regular season in ninth, missing out on a direct play-off place. Yet, they could sneak into the play-offs if two teams from ADO Den Haag, Willem II, or Almere City FC end higher than Vitesse in the period 4 rankings, since those sides are already qualified for the play-offs or the Eredivisie.

As the fourth period winner does not receive the spot if they are outside the top eight, it goes to the best-placed team in the regular league standings: FC Den Bosch. Jong PSV cannot promote as a youth team.

FC Den Bosch face ADO Den Haag in their last regular match on Friday, and to boost their chances of ADO Den Haag topping Vitesse in period 4, FC Den Bosch would benefit more from a defeat than a victory, as it would keep Vitesse below ADO Den Haag in those standings.

To seal their play-off entry completely, FC Den Bosch require Willem II to defeat tenth-placed FC Dordrecht under Dirk Kuyt, and preferably Almere City FC to overcome VVV-Venlo on Friday.

Facing a difficult away fixture at SC Cambuur, Vitesse give FC Den Bosch this improbable chance on the season's closing day.

'I don't play football to lose'

Although a loss to ADO Den Haag would help their cause, FC Den Bosch firmly reject any notion of intentional defeat.

"I play to win. I am a professional athlete, and I always aim to triumph, even versus ADO," said FC Den Bosch goalkeeper Pepijn van de Merbel to ESPN. "Vitesse must first secure their own result, away to Cambuur. That seems challenging."

Captain Jeffrey Fortes echoes Van de Merbel but goes further, saying he would sit out if the aim were to lose: "I get the logic, but I am not the one to approach about this. I don't play football to lose. That is my mindset in everything. So it boils down to this: if that is the plan, just bench me. I cannot enter a game thinking: I must not win this," he explained to ESPN.

The KNVB, the Netherlands' football governing body, has issued a statement emphasising fair play. "We anticipate that all involved in a match will strive to win it. We cannot comment further on hypotheticals."

The final round of Keuken Kampioen Divisie fixtures starts at 20.00 CET on Friday, April 24th.