Belgian professional football license

The Belgian professional football license is a license that any team qualified to play the Belgian Pro League must have obtained. If a qualified team does not obtain the license, it is relegated to the third division. When the license was introduced, it was decided that a team without the license would not be replaced, but it is still not effective. A similar license is given to clubs in the second division, but it is looser.

Terms

To be considered professional, a club must, a.o.:

• play or qualify for the first division;
• dispose of at least 20 players having the status of remunerated player;
• prove that it is financially healthy and has enough credit to at least get through the next season under normal circumstances;
• prove that the players' wages are being paid, that debts to the Royal Belgian Football Association have been paid or will be paid, that debts between clubs have been paid or will be paid and that all tax payments have been paid;
• employ trainers of certified levels;
• dispose of a stadium with the following conditions:
  • its luminosity is of at least 800 lux at the beginning of the second season played in first division;
  • the ground must measure between 64 and 75 m (width) and 105 and 110 m (length);
  • the stadium must be of a capacity of at least 8,000 with minimum 5,000 seats;

References

• Belgian FA official website - Rules