The 2017–18 Eredivisie was the 62nd season of the Eredivisie, the premier division of professional football in the Netherlands. The campaign commenced on 11 August 2017 and concluded on 6 May 2018. Eighteen clubs competed in a double‑round robin format, each playing 34 matches (one home and one away against every other team).
Competition format
- Points system: Three points for a win, one point for a draw, none for a loss.
- Ranking criteria: Goal difference, goals scored, and head‑to‑head results were used to separate teams level on points.
- European qualification: The league champion and runner‑up qualified for the UEFA Champions League (champion directly to the group stage, runner‑up to the qualifying rounds). The third‑placed team entered the Champions League qualifying phase, while the fourth‑ through sixth‑placed clubs qualified for the UEFA Europa League, subject to domestic cup results.
- Relegation: The 17th and 18th placed teams were directly relegated to the Eerste Divisie. The 16th placed side entered a promotion/relegation play‑off with Eerste Divisie clubs.
Season outcome
- Champions: Ajax secured the title with 85 points, achieving their 33rd Dutch league championship.
- Runners‑up: PSV Eindhoven finished second with 78 points.
- Third place: Feyenoord (73 points) earned a place in the Champions League qualifying round.
- European qualification: AZ Alkmaar (fourth), FC Utrecht (fifth) and SC Heerenveen (sixth) qualified for the Europa League.
- Relegated: Excelsior (18th) and Sparta Rotterdam (17th) were relegated to the Eerste Divisie.
- Play‑off participant: De Graafschap finished 16th and entered the promotion/relegation play‑offs.
Statistical highlights
- Top scorer: Luuk de Jong (Ajax) – 21 goals.
- Most assists: Quincy Promes (Sparta Rotterdam) – 13 assists.
- Best defence: Ajax conceded 19 goals, the fewest in the league.
Participating clubs
| Club | Home stadium | Final position |
|---|---|---|
| Ajax | Johan Cruyff Arena | 1 |
| PSV Eindhoven | Philips Stadion | 2 |
| Feyenoord | De Kuip | 3 |
| AZ Alkmaar | AFAS Stadion | 4 |
| FC Utrecht | Stadion Galgenwaard | 5 |
| SC Heerenveen | Abe Lenstra Stadion | 6 |
| FC Groningen | Euroborg | 7 |
| Vitesse Arnhem | GelreDome | 8 |
| Willem II | Toekomst Stadion | 9 |
| PEC Zwolle | MAC³PARK Stadion | 10 |
| FC Twente | De Grolsch Veste | 11 |
| ADO Den Haag | Cars Jeans Stadion | 12 |
| SC Cambuur | Cambuur Stadion | 13 |
| Heracles Almelo | Erve Asito | 14 |
| NEC Nijmegen | Goffertstadion | 15 |
| De Graafschap | De Vijverberg | 16 |
| Sparta Rotterdam | Het Kasteel | 17 (relegated) |
| Excelsior | Van Donge & De Roo Stadion | 18 (relegated) |
Managerial changes
Throughout the season, several clubs appointed new head coaches, most notably PSV Eindhoven, which hired Phillip Cocu in June 2018 after the season’s conclusion, and FC Utrecht, which replaced their manager mid‑campaign.
Legacy
The 2017–18 season reinforced Ajax’s domestic dominance and marked the end of a six‑year title drought for the club. It also highlighted the competitive gap between the traditional top clubs and the lower‑ranked sides, as reflected in the goal‑difference statistics and the relegation outcomes.
References
- Eredivisie official website (eredivisie.nl) – season archive.
- UEFA club coefficients and competition entry lists for the 2018–19 season.
- Match reports and statistical databases (e.g., Soccerway, Transfermarkt).