FC Volendam Secures Eredivisie Promotion After Year Away

FC Volendam has achieved promotion to the Eredivisie after a narrow 1-0 victory over Jong AZ on Monday night.

This marks the club’s return to the Dutch top tier following a year in the second division. Hailing from the fishing town in North Holland, Volendam was relegated for an unprecedented tenth time after finishing 17th in the Eredivisie during the 2023-24 season.

To secure their promotion, Volendam needed the win against Jong AZ, as third-placed ADO Den Haag was sitting on 63 points with just four matches left to go. A victory would elevate FC Volendam to 76 points, clinching a remarkable eleventh promotion. Despite a strong run of eight consecutive wins in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, Volendam struggled to break through against AZ’s under-21 squad until late in the game.

With the support of 750 passionate away fans, midfielder Alex Plat emerged as the hero, finding the net in the 64th minute to secure the crucial win.

This season, FC Volendam has been a standout in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, featuring the league’s top two scorers: Henk Veerman (22 goals) and Robert Muhren (17 goals), alongside leader in assists Bilal Ould-Chikh (17 assists). Their win in Alkmaar not only clinched promotion but also marked their ninth successive victory, setting a new record for the club that hasn’t been matched in 65 years.