Belgian Football Teams: Complete Guide to Pro League, Challenger Pro League, and Super League Vrouwenvoetbal Teams (2025)

Belgium is one of the most influential countries in Europe when it comes to football, as the country has produced some phenomenal talents over the years. If we take a look at the Belgian football teams, popular clubs like Anderlecht, Club Brugge, and Standard Liege are some of the most dominant Belgium football teams that have been successful over the years. Some of the all-time greats have played in Belgian football teams and have graced the clubs with their immaculate presence over the years, making the Belgian football league one of the most anticipated and popular leagues in the world. 

The Belgian football league system consists of several interconnected leagues following a promotion and relegation system in different divisions. The Belgian Pro League is the highest division of football played in Belgium, and some of the most dominant Belgium football teams are present in the Belgian Pro League. Join us as we take a look at the history of Belgian football teams over the years and also get to know about the Belgian football pyramid. 

Belgium Football Clubs: History and Evolution of Football Teams in Belgium

Football in Belgium grew in the late 19th century, and many clubs were formed during this time. The Royal Belgian Football Association introduced matricule numbers back in 1926 to organise numerous clubs which formed at the time. Older clubs were given lower matricule numbers, with Antwerp being given the number 1. Whenever clubs used to merge, they had to choose a specific matricule number to retain from both clubs. In most cases, the matricule of the more successful club was retained to play in the highest division possible. 

From the early 2010s, Belgian football teams began trading these matricules to rise in the overall Belgian football league system. 2017 saw a new rule introduced by the Belgian FA, enabling clubs to buy their older dysfunctional matricule, and it was done by Lyra for the first time.

The Belgian Pro League is the highest division of club football in Belgium and was founded in 1895. It operates on the system of promotion and relegation and also offers UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Conference League spots to its clubs. 

Belgian Football League System

The Belgian football league system consists of several divisions, which have various Belgium football teams and is approved by the Royal Belgian Football Association. The Belgian Pro League is the highest division of the Belgian Football pyramid, consisting of 16 teams. The Championship playoffs are decided with 6 teams in 10 games alongside the European playoffs. For both play-offs, the points of the regular season are split, and for the play-downs, the points are retained. The 4th of the Champions play-offs play against the winner of the Europe play-offs for the last European ticket. 

The last four teams in the league play 6 games in the playoffs. The winner stays in the league, and the second-place side competes in a play-off against the winner of the Challenger Pro League play-offs. The Challenger Pro League is the second division in the Belgian football pyramid and also features 16 teams in total. It is like the EFL Championship, where the top two teams are promoted and the teams from 3rd position to 6th position are required to play the play-offs.

Then come various non-professional leagues like the Belgian Division 1, Belgian Division 2, and Belgian Division 3. These leagues are divided into two divisions, which have several Belgium football teams competing for promotion and relegation spots. There are several Amateur leagues after these leagues, which are divided into several levels. Each level contains several Provincial leagues with numerous clubs in each. 

Belgian Football Pyramid

The Belgian football pyramid contains various divisions of Belgian football and showcases several clubs playing to play in the top division. The highest division of Belgian football is the Belgian Pro League, which has some of the top football teams in Belgium, including Club Brugge, Anderlecht, Antwerp, and more Belgian football teams. While the league follows the relegation and promotion system, it also offers a play-off system, which adds another relegation to the already two relegations offered on the basis of the standings. The second division in the professional league system is the Challenger Pro League, which features 16 clubs, but features 17 clubs in the 2025-26 campaign. It offers a promotion and relegation system with one promotion play-off offering three teams promotions in total. Here is the overall look at the different levels of the Belgian football pyramid. 

Most Successful Teams in Belgian Football

There have been numerous Belgian football teams over the years, with Anderlecht claiming the top spot. The Belgian football club has won 34 titles over the years, making it one of the most decorated Belgian football teams. 

Belgian Pro League Teams

The Belgian Pro League teams over the years have been some of the most successful Belgian clubs, including Anderlecht, Union Saint-Gilloise, Club Brugge, and many more top-tier clubs. It was founded in 1895 and currently has 16 teams competing in the official league. Join us as we take a look at the Belgian Pro League teams in the upcoming campaign. 

Challenger Pro League Teams

The second division of the Belgian Football league system is the Challenger Pro League, which also follows the promotion and relegation system. It was previously called First Division B but was renamed to Challenger Pro League. The league used to have 16 teams, but for the 2025-26 campaign, there are 17 teams in the league. There were no direct relegations in the previous campaign as the league aims to expand to a total of 18 teams from the 2026-27 campaign. Join us as we take a look at the Challenger Pro League teams competing in the upcoming campaign. 

Super League Vrouwenvoetbal (Belgian Women’s Super League) Teams

The Super League Vrouwenvoetbal is the highest women’s football league in Belgium and showcases various Belgium football teams playing to win the coveted league title each season. It was founded in 2015 after the BeNe League ended. The Super League Vrouwenvoetbal offers a UEFA Champions League place to top clubs and also has the Belgian women’s first division. The Super League has a total of 8 clubs, with top clubs including RSC Anderlecht, Charleroi, and many more high-profile clubs. Join us as we take a look at the Super League Vrouwenvoetbal teams in the upcoming campaign.