AZ-Ajax first topper, promising return of FC Volendam and heavy start Telstar

The first classic in the Eredivisie is scheduled for Sunday, January 22, 2023. Then Ajax and Feyenoord will play in De Kuip. The first two top matches against Ajax and Feyenoord are on the program for AZ early on. The Alkmaarders play the first meeting against the two at home. AZ closes the season with the top match against PSV. On Sunday 28 May, Pascal Jansen’s team will receive a visit from Eindhoven.

Ajax

Ajax starts the Eredivisie season with an away match in Limburg. On Saturday, August 6, the team from Amsterdam will play against Fortuna Sittard at 4.30 pm. The first home game is against FC Groningen a week later on Sunday 14 August at 2.30 pm.

The first top match for Ajax is during round 7. On Sunday 18 September, the team of trainer Alfred Schreuder will visit Alkmaar. AZ and Ajax will start and close the weekend at 4.45 pm.

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AZ

For AZ, the season officially starts on Thursday 21 July. The Alkmaarders then play in the second preliminary round of the Conference League. This afternoon AZ will hear who the opponent is. The Alkmaarders start the Eredivisie season with a home game against Go Ahead Eagles on Sunday, August 7 at 4.45 pm.

AZ then meets Sparta Rotterdam, NEC, Cambuur and PhD student FC Emmen in the first rounds. That offers opportunities for a good season opening. The first top match for AZ is on Sunday, September 18. Then the national champion Ajax is visited.

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FC Volendam

On Sunday, August 7, FC Volendam will make its comeback in the Eredivisie. The team of trainer Wim Jonk will start the new season on Sunday 7 August at 12.15 pm with a match against FC Groningen. The first big test is against PSV. In round three, the Volendam team will visit the Philips Stadium and a reunion awaits former player Joey Veerman. On Saturday October 8 at 6.45 pm Ajax will visit the fishing village.

With the matches against FC Groningen, NEC and Sparta Rotterdam, Volendam has a relatively favorable opening. In between, it plays against PSV and FC Twente, the numbers two and four of last season. In the sixth round, FC Volendam will play on Friday evening for the occasion. On Friday 9 September at 8 p.m., it will receive Go Ahead Eagles. In the weeks that follow, Volendam will play against Vitesse and Fortuna Sittard, before playing against Ajax at home on Saturday 8 October (kick-off at 6.45 pm).

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The first division starts on the same weekend as the eredivisie. On Friday, August 5, the ball will roll back into the stadiums for the first time. The clubs from the first division have again been given the opportunity this year not to have to play football during the international matches. Eleven clubs have taken advantage of this, as a result of which their matches are scheduled earlier.

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Telstar

Telstar is waiting for a tough start to the season. On Monday, August 8, Telstar will start with an away match at Jong Ajax (kick-off at 8 p.m.). In the first home game on Friday August 12, Telstar will be visited by relegant PEC Zwolle and go a week later The White Lions visiting Willem II, who also relegated from the Eredivisie.

In the fifth round, the meeting with his previous employer De Graafschap is scheduled for the new trainer Mike Snoei. Telstar, which finished in a disappointing nineteenth place in the first division last season, will then receive matches against Almere City, Heracles Almelo, Jong FC Utrecht and Jong PSV.

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Top duels

The KNVB has announced that most top matches will be played after a European round. “Unfortunately, we cannot escape this. This has to do with the limited space available to create equal conditions, partly in view of the risky nature of these matches, which means that they must be played on Sundays,” said professional football league affairs manager Jan Bluyssen.

During the World Cup in Qatar (from November 21 to December 18), a total stop will be introduced in the Eredivisie. In the first division, football continues during that period. Clubs in the first division play three rounds during the World Cup, of which one during the preparation and two during the tournament.