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2023–24 Challenger Pro League

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Challenger Pro League
Season2023–24
ChampionsBeerschot
PromotedBeerschot
Dender
RelegatedOostende
SL16 FC
Matches played186
Goals scored517 (2.78 per match)
Top goalscorer2 players (11 goals)
Biggest home winPatro Eisden Maasmechelen 4–0 Club NXT
Dender EH 5–1 Seraing
Deinze 4–0 Lierse Kempenzonen
RFC Liège 5–1 Beveren
Biggest away winSeraing 0–5 Zulte Waregem
Highest scoringFrancs Borains 2–5 Jong Genk
Zulte Waregem 2–5 RSCA Futures
Longest winning run5 matches (Beveren)
Longest unbeaten run9 matches (Beveren)
Longest losing run8 matches (SL16 FC)

The 2023–24 season of the Challenger Pro League began in August 2023 and is scheduled to end in May 2024. It is the second season under its new name after being renamed from First Division B.

Team changes

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This season, the league was expanded from 12 to 16 teams.

Incoming

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Outgoing

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Format changes

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As the league expanded from 12 to 16 teams, this also involved a new format: a regular round-robin tournament of 30 matchdays. After this, the champions and runners-up will both be promoted to the 2024–25 Belgian Pro League and similarly, the two bottom finishers will be relegated to the 2024–25 Belgian National Division 1. Play-offs will be organized between the teams finishing in positions 3 through 6, with the winner of these play-offs facing the runner-up of the relegation playoffs in the 2023–24 Belgian Pro League for the final remaining ticket in the 2024–25 Belgian Pro League.

U23 are in theory eligible for promotion and relegation but always have to play at least one level below their mother club. This means that:

  • The four U23 teams in this division are not eligible for promotion. In case one or more of these teams finish in the top six positions, the promotion and play-offs spots will shift along to the next eligible team in the standings.
  • Should one of the mother clubs of the teams in this division be relegated from the 2023–24 Belgian Pro League, the corresponding U23 team will be forced to relegate as well from the 2023–24 Challenger Pro League, irrespective of its finishing position.

Team information

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Stadiums and locations

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class=notpageimage|
Locations of the 2023–24 Challenger Pro League teams
Matricule Club City First season of
current spell at
second level		 Coming from 2022-23 result Stadium Capacity
35 RSCA Futures Anderlecht, Brussels 2022–23 U23 competition 6th (CPL) King Baudouin Stadium 38,000
13 K Beerschot VA Antwerp 2022–23 Belgian First Division A 3rd (CPL) Olympic Stadium 12,771
4068 S.K. Beveren Beveren 2021–22 Belgian First Division B 2nd (CPL) Freethiel Stadion 8,190
3 Club NXT Bruges[a] 2022–23 U23 competition 4th (CPL) Schiervelde Stadion 8,340
818 K.M.S.K. Deinze Deinze 2020–21 Belgian First Amateur Division 8th (CPL) Burgemeester Van de Wiele Stadion 7,515
3900 Dender Denderleeuw 2022–23 Belgian National Division 1 9th (CPL) Van Roystadion 6,429
5192 Francs Borains Boussu 2023–24 Belgian National Division 1 3rd (NatD1) Stade Robert Urbain 6,000
322 Jong Genk Genk 2022–23 U23 competition 11th (CPL) Luminus Arena 24,956
3970 Lierse Kempenzonen Lier 2020–21 Belgian First Amateur Division 5th (CPL) Herman Vanderpoortenstadion 14,538
2554 Lommel SK Lommel 2018–19 Belgian First Amateur Division 7th (CPL) Soevereinstadion 8,000
31 Oostende Ostend 2023–24 Belgian Pro League 16th (BPL) Diaz Arena 8,432
3434 Patro Eisden Maasmechelen Maasmechelen 2023–24 Belgian National Division 1 1st (NatD1) Gemeentelijk Sportparkstadion 5,500
4 RFC Liège Liège 2023–24 Belgian National Division 1 2nd (NatD1) Stade de Rocourt 8,000
167 Seraing Seraing 2023–24 Belgian Pro League 18th (BPL) Stade du Pairay 8,207
16 SL16 FC Liège 2022–23 U23 competition 10th (CPL) Stade Maurice Dufrasne 30,023
5381 Zulte Waregem Waregem 2023–24 Belgian Pro League 17th (BPL) Regenboogstadion 12,500

Regular season

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League table

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Beerschot (C, P) 30 17 5 8 46 29 +17 56 Promoted to Pro League
2 Dender EH (P) 30 15 9 6 55 32 +23 54
3 Deinze 30 16 5 9 48 37 +11 53 Qualification for promotion play-offs
4 Lommel (O) 30 15 7 8 51 31 +20 52
5 Zulte Waregem 30 15 6 9 51 34 +17 51
6 Patro Eisden Maasmechelen 30 14 9 7 40 28 +12 51
7 RFC Liège 30 15 4 11 49 41 +8 49
8 Beveren 30 13 6 11 44 40 +4 45
9 Club NXT 30 11 4 15 40 49 −9 37 Ineligible for promotion and promotion play-offs
10 Jong Genk 30 10 7 13 46 52 −6 37
11 Lierse Kempenzonen 30 10 5 15 44 59 −15 35
12 RSCA Futures 30 8 10 12 39 47 −8 34 Ineligible for promotion and promotion play-offs
13 Oostende (R) 30 10 8 12 32 39 −7 32[b] Dissolved due to bankruptcy
14 Francs Borains 30 9 5 16 38 52 −14 32
15 Seraing[c] 30 6 10 14 33 51 −18 28
16 SL16 FC (R) 30 5 2 23 25 60 −35 17 Relegated to National Division 1
Source: Challenger Pro League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Matches won; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Away goals scored; 6) Away matches won; 7) Play-off.[6]
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. ^ Club NXT did not play its home matches at the same venue as the A-squad of Club Brugge (the Jan Breydel Stadium) but rather they moved to Roeselare to play in the Schiervelde Stadion.
  2. ^ On 20 December 2023, Oostende were deducted 3 points for outstanding debts and not adhering to the Belgian FA regulations.[1] One day later, another 6 points were deducted for missing a second deadline for repayment of debts.[2] Oostende appealed this decision and the verdict on 25 January 2024 reduced the points deduction back to 6 points. They were still not allowed to have incoming transfers.[3] On 14 May 2024, one month after completion of the season, Oostende announced it had not found an investor to take over the club and due to financial debts would not be able to meet the criteria for playing in the Challenger Pro League or even the Belgian National Division 1. As a result, the club will at least relegate two levels to the Belgian Division 2 and be penalized with -3 points.[4] On 3 June 2024, the club officially filed for bankruptcy and is in talks with neighboring clubs to form a merger and restart at the level of that club. If no club is found willing to merge with KV Oostende, the club can only restart the at the bottom of the Belgian football pyramid, the fourth West-Flanders provincial league (level 9).[5]
  3. ^ Seraing would have been relegated but due to Oostende not receiving a license one month after completion of the season, the team was spared.

Positions by round

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The table lists the positions of teams after the completion of each round, with postponed matches and points deductions only included when occurring. Teams that have played fewer matches are shown with their position underlined:

  • The match between SL16 FC and Beerschot of matchday 3 was postponed due to being prohibited by the mayor of Liège, it was rescheduled to be played between matchdays 14 and 15 and hence its effects will only appear in the table below at the end of matchday 15.
  • The match between Dender EH and Francs Borains on matchday 14 was postponed due to snow. It was played a few days later between matchdays 14 and 15 and hence its effects will only appear in the table below at the end of matchday 15.
  • On 20 December 2023, between matchdays 16 and 17, Oostende was deducted 9 points (3+6) for outstanding debts and breach of Belgian FA regulations.
  • The matches Lommel-Beerschot, Dender EH-Seraing, Francs Borains-Oostende, and RSCA Futures-RFC Liege of matchday 18 were all postponed due to snow. All matches will be played on 7 February, between matchdays 20 and 21, except for Francs Borains-Oostende which was rescheduled to 14 February, between matchdays 21 and 22.
  • On 25 January 2024, between matchdays 18 and 19, the points deduction of Oostende was reduced from 9 to 6 points.

Colored cells refer to being promoted (green), in promotion play-offs (yellow) or relegation play-offs (red). Note that U23 teams are ineligible for promotion and playoffs, and the coloring is adjusted accordingly. Furthermore, if one of the mother clubs of these four teams is relegated, the U23 would automatically take up one of the relegation spots as U23 teams always have to remain at least one level below their mother club, this is not accounted for in the coloring until after the season.

Team ╲ Round123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930
Beerschot2410675653322112211111112111111
Dender EH6789691088675694535677566543222
Deinze131213757875564333343322221234533
Lommel721111112233569878553453322344
Zulte Waregem15112222321111221122234344466655
Patro Eisden Maasmechelen454433267746445484445635655466
RFC Liège12151114106546857856767888777777777
Beveren1014151111121214121011111087656766888888888
Club NXT[a]583384434488971010101010111111111099910119
Jong Genk[a]81559107910121415161213141111111091010111110109910
Lierse Kempenzonen967121315151514131210111111111212131313141414141312111011
RSCA Futures[a]1410121315141411999971089999910999101111121212
Oostende111616161413131315151512121314121616161415131313131414141413
Francs Borains39684891011141013131416161313121212121212121213131314
Seraing139101211111213111314141515151515151614151515151515151515
SL16 FC[a]161314151616161616161616151612131414141516161616161616161616
  1. ^ a b c d ineligible for promotion and playoffs
Source: worldfootball.net

Results

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Home \ Away BEE DEN DEI LOM ZWA PEM RFC BEV NXT GNK LIE AND OOS FRB SER STA
Beerschot 0–1 1–2[a] 2–1 1–2 0–1 3–0 0–0 3–0 1–0 1–2 1–1 1–1 2–1 0–0 2–0
Dender EH 1–1 3–0 3–1 1–4 0–0 0–0 1–0 2–0 1–3 2–2 2–3 1–1 2–0[b] 5–1[c] 4–1
Deinze 4–2 1–1 3–2 1–1 0–0[c] 3–1 0–0 1–3 3–2 4–0 4–1 1–0 2–3 1–0 2–1
Lommel 3–0[c] 2–2 1–0 1–1 1–2 4–1 3–1 1–0 0–1 3–0 3–1 0–1 3–0 0–0 1–0
Zulte Waregem 0–1 1–1 2–1 0–3[c] 0–0 1–0 0–1 0–1 1–1 4–1 2–5 0–1 1–3 2–1 1–1
Patro Eisden Maasmechelen 0–2 1–1 3–1 3–0 0–3 0–2 2–1 4–0 2–2 3–0 0–0 2–3 3–1 2–1 3–1
RFC Liège 1–4 0–1 1–0 2–1 0–2 1–0 5–1 3–1 5–0 2–4 0–2 2–0 1–0 2–1 1–1
Beveren 2–0 3–2 2–2 2–2 0–3 0–1 1–2 0–2 2–1 3–1[c] 2–1 2–3 3–0 1–1 2–0
Club NXT 0–2 0–1 0–1 0–2 1–3 2–2 1–2 0–3 2–1 3–2 0–1 3–3 1–0 1–1 4–1
Jong Genk 1–2 2–1[c] 3–2 1–1 2–4 0–1 2–3 1–0 0–3 1–3 3–0[d] 3–1 1–1 1–1 1–0
Lierse Kempenzonen 1–3 2–4 0–1 1–2 0–1 2–1 3–2 2–2 3–1 3–1 1–1 1–2 3–1 1–0 1–4
RSCA Futures 1–3 2–1 1–3 1–1 0–1 1–3 1–1[c] 0–2 1–2 1–1 3–3 0–0 3–3 1–2 3–0
Oostende 1–2 0–1 0–1 0–1 3–2 0–0 0–2[c] 0–2 1–4 2–2 0–1 1–2 1–0 1–1 2–1
Francs Borains 1–3 0–3 0–1 1–2 2–1 0–0 2–2 3–0[d] 2–2[c] 2–5 2–0 1–0 0–2[c] 0–2 2–1
Seraing 1–2 1–3 1–2 2–2[a] 0–5 3–0 0–4 1–2 2–1 1–3 1–1 1–1 1–1 1–5 3–0
SL16 FC 1–0[a] 0–4 2–1 0–4 1–3 0–1 2–1 1–4 1–2 3–1 0–1 0–1 0–1 1–2 1–2
Source: Flashscore
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.
Notes:
  1. ^ a b c After the match between SL16 FC and Beerschot had been prohibited by the mayor of Liège in August citing a lack of available police officers, the match of matchday 3 was rescheduled from 26 August to 5 December, in between matchdays 14 and 15. As a result, the calendar commission also decided to switch the places on the calendar of the matches Seraing-Lommel (from 10 to 8 December) and Beerschot-Deinze (from 8 to 10 December).[7]
  2. ^ The match between Dender EH and Francs Borains of matchday 14 (3 December) was postponed for two days due to snow.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Four matches of matchday 18 were postponed due to snow. Lommel-Beerschot, Dender EH-Seraing, and RSCA Futures-RFC Liège were rescheduled to 7 February, between matchdays 20 and 21. Francs Borains-Oostende will be played one week later on 14 February, between matchdays 21 and 22. To allow all teams sufficient time in between matches (at least 48 hours), the calendar of matchday 21 was altered strongly: the matches Deinze-Patro Eisden Maasmechelen (10 Feb to 9 Feb), Francs Borains-Club NXT (11 Feb to 9 Feb) and Beveren-SL16 FC (11 Feb to 10 Feb) were moved ahead, while Zulte Waregem-Lommel (9 Feb to 10 Feb), Jong Genk-Dender EH (9 Feb to 11 Feb) and Oostende-RFC Liège (10 Feb to 11 Feb) were shifted backward.[8]
  4. ^ a b Some matches of matchdays 19 were moved due to the 2024 Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, in particular, Jong Genk-RSCA Futures moved from 26 January to 27 January, Francs Borains-Beveren moved from 27 January to 26 January.[9]

Promotion play-offs

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Promotion/relegation play-offs

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The promotion/relegation play-offs were contested by the teams finishing in positions 3 to 6 in the 2023–24 Challenger Pro League, who met in a knockout tournament with both quarter-finals and semi-finals over two legs, and the highest season finisher always having home advantage in the return leg. The winner of the semi-finals played the 14th place finisher of the 2023–24 Belgian Pro League over two legs. The Belgian Pro League team had home advantage in the return leg; the winner of the final would play in the 2024–25 Belgian Pro League, with the loser playing in the 2024–25 Challenger Pro League.

Bracket

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Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinals
5Zulte Waregem101
14Kortrijk (a.e.t.)145
4Lommel112
4Lommel1234Lommel022
3Deinze112
6Patro Eisden Maasmechelen011
3Deinze426

Quarter-finals

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Patro Eisden Maasmechelen0–4Deinze
Report
Patrostadion, Maasmechelen
Referee: Wim Smet
Deinze2–1Patro Eisden Maasmechelen
 Report
Dakota Arena, Deinze
Referee: Jan Boterberg

Deinze won 6–1 on aggregate.

Zulte Waregem1–1Lommel
 Report
Referee: Michiel Allaerts
Lommel1–0Zulte Waregem
 Report
Soevereinstadion, Lommel
Referee: Wesli De Cremer

Lommel won 2–1 on aggregate.

Semi-finals

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Lommel1–1Deinze
 Report
Soevereinstadion, Lommel
Referee: Lothar D'Hondt
Deinze1–2Lommel
 Report
Dakota Arena, Deinze
Referee: Wesli De Cremer

Lommel won 3–2 on aggregate.

Finals

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Lommel0–1Kortrijk
Report
Soevereinstadion, Lommel
Referee: Lawrence Visser
Kortrijk4–2 (a.e.t.)Lommel
 Report
Referee: Bert Put

Kortrijk won 5–2 on aggregate.


Season statistics

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Top scorers

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Note: goals during the playoffs are not included.[10]

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Central African Republic Goduine Koyalipou Beveren 15
2 Belgium Bruny Nsimba Dender EH 14
3 Belgium Jelle Vossen Zulte Waregem 13
4 Nigeria Victory Beniangba Jong Genk 12
5 Belgium Adriano Bertaccini RFC Liège 11
Hungary Zalán Vancsa Lommel
7 Senegal Pape Moussa Fall Seraing 10
Belgium Tom Reyners Beerschot
Brazil Arthur Sales Lommel
10 Nigeria Jordan Attah Kadiri Francs Borains 9
Belgium Lennart Mertens Deinze
Belgium Thibaut Van Acker Lierse Kempenzonen
8 goals (1 player)
7 goals (6 players)
6 goals (13 players)
5 goals (12 players)
4 goals (19 players)
3 goals (23 players)
2 goals (46 players)
1 goal (86 players)
4 own goals (1 player)
3 own goals (1 player)
2 own goals (1 player)
1 own goal (21 players)

Team of the season

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Upon completion of the regular season a team of the season award was compiled, based upon the results of the team of the week results, constructed based on nominations from managers, assistant managers, journalists, and analysts. The results were announced on 13 May 2024.[11]

Pos Player Club
GK Spain Nacho Miras Deinze
RB Belgium Benoît Nyssen RFC Liège
CB Belgium Joedrick Pupe Dender EH
CB Belgium Hervé Matthys Beerschot
LB Netherlands Sam De Grand Lommel
MF Belgium Ryan Sanusi Beerschot
MF Belgium Lennard Hens Dender EH
MF Belgium Gaëtan Hendrickx Deinze
LW Belgium Thibaud Verlinden Beerschot
FW Central African Republic Goduine Koyalipou Beveren
RW Angola Bruny Nsimba Dender EH

Number of teams by provinces

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Number of teams Province or region Team(s)
3  East Flanders Beveren, Deinze and Dender EH
 Liège Seraing, SL16 FC and RFC Liège
 Limburg Jong Genk, Lommel and Patro Eisden Maasmechelen
 West Flanders Club NXT, Oostende and Zulte Waregem
2  Antwerp Beerschot and Lierse Kempenzonen
1  Brussels RSCA Futures
 Hainaut Francs Borains

Notes

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References

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  1. ^ "Vandaag min 3 punten en morgen alweer? KV Oostende, dat ook transferverbod kreeg, lijkt in vrije val" [Today minus 3 points and tomorrow again? KV Oostende, which also received a transfer ban, seems to be in free fall]. Sporza. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Clubs in de problemen: KV Oostende verliest nóg eens 6 punten, Standard krijgt transferverbod" [Clubs in trouble: KV Oostende loses another 6 points, Standard receives a transfer ban]. Sporza. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  3. ^ "KV Oostende krijgt 3 punten terug in beroep, andere sancties blijven overeind" [KV Oostende awarded 3 points back after appeal, other sanctions remain]. Sporza. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  4. ^ https://sporza.be/nl/2024/05/16/het-faillissement-van-kv-oostende-is-nu-echt-nabij-geen-mirakeloplossing-meer-uit-de-bus-gekomen~1715874655909/
  5. ^ https://www.vrt.be/vrtnws/nl/2024/06/03/voetbalclub-kv-oostende-vraagt-officieel-faillissement-aan-doo/
  6. ^ "General terms Belgian competition" (PDF). kbvb.be. Archived from the original (PDF) on 17 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2017.
  7. ^ "Uitgesteld duel tussen Beerschot en SL16 wordt op 5 december ingehaald | sporza".
  8. ^ "Kalenderupdate voor speeldagen 18 en 21 van de Challenger Pro League".
  9. ^ "Kalenderwijzigingen door activiteiten EU-voorzitterschap van België".
  10. ^ "Spelersstatistieken". Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  11. ^ "Challenger Pro League – XI of the Season (2023-2024)". 13 May 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
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