In principle, next season, three clubs will be relegated to D1B. The prospect necessarily worries the “small” (and medium) clubs. Faced with competition from the G7 (Club Bruges, Anderlecht, Antwerp, La Gantoise, Genk, Standard and Charleroi) and the significant means of Union SG and OHL, the rest of the class would have a chance on three to go down.
The “big” clubs, for their part, see a reduced competition with a good eye, with fewer teams and therefore necessarily fewer matches. Priority to quality, rather than quantity. Not to mention that they want to value their U23 teams. For the moment, it is expected that they will integrate the lower divisions during the next two years. The question is what would happen next.
The CEO of the Pro League, Lorin Parys, is therefore responsible for reaching a compromise, being faced with very opposing interests. According to information from HLN, its priority would be the search for financial and economic stability, so the idea is not to change format every two years.
The following track is advanced:
2023-2024 : a D1A at 18 and a D1B at 12, in order to grant an additional transition year to “small” clubs.
2024-2025 : a D1A at 16 and a D1B at 14.
2025-2026 : a D1A at 14 and a D1B at 16.
Upon arrival, the idea would therefore be to set up three tiers of 12 clubs, with home and away matches and playoffs (the first six for the league title – the last six for relegation). The youth teams would then be integrated into the two lower divisions. A redistribution of TV rights would also be planned, with a larger share of the loot going to the “little ones”.
This basic idea takes account of the audit carried out by the consultancy firm Twenty First Group. According to the British firm, this 12-12-12 format would allow the Pro League to become the sixth best European championship.
Never easy to achieve, a two-thirds majority will be required when deciding.