Origins (1895–1914) The first league in Belgian football was held in
1895–96 as a
round-robin tournament with seven teams:
Antwerp FC,
FC Brugeois,
FC Liégeois,
RC de Bruxelles,
Léopold Club de Bruxelles,
SC de Bruxelles, and
Union d'Ixelles. FC Liégeois became the first champion of Belgium. The first eight titles in Belgian football were all won by FC Liégeois or RC de Bruxelles. There was no promotion and relegation system at the time, but the last two finishers (FC Brugeois and Union d'Ixelles) withdrew and a new club entered the competition (
Athletic and Running Club de Bruxelles). During the
1896–97 season, SC de Bruxelles withdrew, so the
1897–98 season was played by five clubs. In the seasons
1898–99 and
1899–1900, the football association introduced a new format with two leagues at the top level and a final game in two legs. The format changed back to one league with nine clubs in
1900–01, then again to two leagues from
1901–02 to
1903–04, this time with a final round among the top two teams of each league. In
1904–05, the championship was organised with one league of 11 teams. Athletic and Running Club de Bruxelles withdrew during the season and, from the
1906 season on, a system of promotion and relegation was introduced with the winner of the second division replacing the last-placed team of the first division. In
1906–07,
Union Saint-Gilloise won their fourth consecutive title as RC de Bruxelles had from 1899–1900 to 1902–03. Both clubs claimed the next three titles before
CS Brugeois won their first title, finishing one point ahead their rival of FC Brugeois. At the end of the 1907–08 season, the number of teams in the first division was increased from 10 to 12 clubs, with Promotion champion
RC de Gand and runner-up
ESC Forest being promoted while no first division was relegated. As
World War I approached, Daring Club de Bruxelles confirmed its status of challenger, even winning the title in
1911–12 and
1913–14. Only Union Saint-Gilloise could face them in that period, winning the
1912–13 championship with a better goal difference. Since 1911–12, two clubs are relegated each year to the Promotion and two clubs from the Promotion are promoted.
After World War I (1919–1945) During World War I, the football championship was suspended. It resumed in
1919–20 with FC Brugeois claiming their first title after five second places, among which were two lost final games and one lost test-match. At the end of the
1920–21 season, the number of teams was increased from 12 to 14, with only
Uccle Sport, the last-placed team of the first division, being relegated, and the first three teams from the Promotion being promoted (
Standard Club Liégeois,
FC Malinois, and
RSC Anderlechtois). From
1921–22 to
1931–32, the decade was dominated by teams from the province of
Antwerp:
Beerschot AC, with
Raymond Braine, won their first five titles, Antwerp FC their first two and the small club of
Liersche SK (led by striker
Bernard Voorhoof) won their first one in 1931–32. The challengers at the time were CS Brugeois (two titles in that period), Union Saint-Gilloise (one title), Daring Club de Bruxelles and Standard Club Liégeois. Starting 25 December 1932, Union Saint-Gilloise had a record 60 games unbeaten run in the championship (spanning three seasons), winning the
1932–33,
1933–34, and
1934–35 titles. The rival of Union during this period was
Daring Club de Bruxelles. They claimed the next two championships. Following the come-back of player
Raymond Braine to Beerschot, the
Antwerp club won the last two titles before
World War II. On 10 May 1940, German troops invaded Belgium and the seasons 1939–40 and 1940–41 were suspended. The competition resumed in September 1941 and Liersche SK won their second title. At the end of the season, no club was relegated and the number of clubs was increased from 14 to 16. The
next season, Liersche SK lost three key players (two of them in a bomb attack and the other one due to a heavy injury sustained on the pitch) and they ended at 3rd place while the neighbours of
KV Mechelen became champion for the first time in their history. In
1943–44, Antwerp FC won the title. The league was suspended again in 1944–45 because of World War II.
After World War II (1945–1980) The league resumed play in
1945–46 with a title for KV Mechelen. At the start of that season, the First Division went from 16 to 19 clubs, with three clubs promoted from the First Division and no team being relegated. The
top scorer award was also introduced that season, won by
Bert De Cleyn from KV Mechelen. Two seasons later, five clubs were relegated and two promoted. In
1946–47, RSC Anderlechtois won their first championship with
Jef Mermans as the key striker and they dominated the Belgian football over the next 9 years with 6 more titles, with KV Mechelen (in
1947–48) and FC Liégeois (in
1951–52 and
1952–53) claiming the remaining titles. The
Belgian Golden Shoe award was introduced in 1954, rewarding the best player in the first division for the past calendar year, thus over two half seasons. In the late 1950s Standard lifted the trophy for the first time in
1957–58 and they eventually became one of Anderlecht's biggest rivals in the league (until their 8th title in
1982–83). The other titles in the late 1950s were won by Antwerp FC and Anderlecht. In the 1960s, the Anderlecht team of
Paul Van Himst claimed six titles (with the Belgian record of five consecutives titles between
1963–64 and
1967–68), while Standard claimed three and Lierse one. Standard, with key player
Wilfried Van Moer, won the first two titles of the 1970s, which gave them their only treble so far (together with the
1968–69 title).
1974–75 was the only season with as many as 20 clubs in the league's history. Belgian clubs started to perform well in European Cups in the 1970s, with Anderlecht winning the
1975–76 European Cup Winners' Cup and Club Brugge losing to
Liverpool F.C. in the
1975–76 UEFA Cup final. The following season, Anderlecht lost to
Hamburger SV in the
Cup Winners' Cup final and in
1977–78 won for the second time, while Club Brugge lost the
European Cup to Liverpool F.C.. In the Belgian First Division, Club Brugge claimed four titles in the decade, while Anderlecht claimed two and
R White Daring Molenbeek (the successor of Daring Club de Bruxelles) with
Johan Boskamp and
KSK Beveren with goalkeeper
Jean-Marie Pfaff each claimed their first Belgian championship.
Recent years (1980–present) In the 1980s, the European successes continued for Belgian clubs with Standard reaching the
1981–82 European Cup Winners' Cup final, Anderlecht winning the
1982–83 UEFA Cup and losing the
next UEFA Cup final and KV Mechelen winning the
1987–88 European Cup Winners' Cup. In the domestic league, Anderlecht won their 20th title in
1986–87, which was also the 4th of the decade. Club Brugge and Standard each won two titles in the 1980s and KSK Beveren and KV Mechelen one each. In the 1990s, Belgium's teams performances were diminished in European competitions, with only RSC Anderlecht and Royal Antwerp FC reaching the
European Cup Winners' Cup final, respectively in
1989–90 and in
1992–93. In the home league, RSC Anderlecht took four titles during the decade, while Club Brugge cemented their status as main contender with four titles. The remaining two titles went to Lierse SK and newcomer
Racing Genk. The 2000s brought a bright European start, with Anderlecht reaching the second group stage in the
2000–01 UEFA Champions League, but the rest of the decade Belgian clubs were again not very successful in European competitions. In the league, RSC Anderlecht won five titles in the decade, with Club Brugge claiming two titles and Racing Genk taking their second title. At the end of the decade,
Standard Liège returned as a title contender with two consecutive titles, 25 years after their
1982–83 title. At the end of the 2000s, the highest level in Belgian football was reshaped, with a play-off round after the regular season. RSC Anderlecht won the
first championship in this new format, which was their 30th title. After another two titles for Anderlecht,
KAA Gent was the surprise winner of the Championship in 2015. The following seven years, Club Brugge would win the league five times. Anderlecht and Genk won the title on the other occasions.
Union Saint-Gilloise came close to shocking the footballing world by almost winning the league in
2021–22. In their first season at the top flight in 48 years, they started the play-offs in first place, but came just short of denying Club Brugge their third consecutive title. == Competition format and naming ==