1. PSV
Verdict: Success
PSV realistically already won the league in February with their 3-0 win over Feyenoord. Peter Bosz has created a footballing machine that's both ruthlessly efficient and a joy to watch.
It's very hard to make any critical comment on a team that won the league with a 19-point margin. The only point of critique is that they've conceded the joint-most goals in the Eredivisie since their 2010/11 campaign. But when you also score 101 goals and reach a century of goals for the third-straight season... I'll let it slide.
What's next?
There's going to be a change of the guard. Joey Veerman, Ismael Saibari, and Ricardo Pepi all look set to leave. That's 39 goals and 23 assists walking out the building. And that's without mentioning the possible departures of Sergiño Dest and perhaps Esmir Bajraktarevic, pending his FIFA World Cup debut.
However, every one of those moves will earn PSV a nice bag of cash. They've done exceptionally well on the transfer market in recent years, so what's stopping them from winning a fourth-straight title next season?
2. Feyenoord
Verdict: Success
It didn't go the way they wanted - Robin van Persie aimed at fighting for the championship - but Feyenoord got the job done. They've secured a direct ticket to the UEFA Champoins League, but don't bother asking how.
Feyenoord started strong but had a massive dip in form, winning just 4 of 12 games between late October and early February. It still didn't end great with four wins and five draws in their final nine games, but Van Persie got his team into Europe.
What's next?
A new era: Dennis te Kloese has left the club and will be succeeded by Robert Eenhoorn and Devy Rigaux. Te Kloese and Van Persie were heavily criticised near the tail end of the season, and things will have to change.
Whether they'll go through those changes with Eredivisie top scorer Ayase Ueda and star winger Anis Hadj Moussa is yet to be seen. And what will happen to the ten loanees that'll return to De Kuip, some of whom (Gjivai Zechiël, Ramiz Zerrouki) aren't on good terms with Van Persie? Intrigue, intrigue.
3. NEC Nijmegen
Verdict: Massive success
What else can be said about a club's best-ever season? NEC Nijmegen's third-place finish, which was paired with some lovely, aggressively attacking football, was the best in club history and earned them a spot in the UEFA Champions League qualifiers.
It wasn't all rainbows and sunshine as the KNVB Beker final turned into a disaster, but Dick Schreuder's men redeemed themselves in the final days of the campaign. Champions League in De Goffert - what an incredible prospect.
What's next?
It'll be a challenge to keep some of their stars in Nijmegen. Kodai Sano was a wanted man in January and looks to have more suitors, despite not getting the call-up for Japan's World Cup. Başar Önal was impressive, while his compatriot Ahmetcan Kaplan will return to Ajax as the NEC defender with the most minutes this season.
Perhaps most importantly: Dick Schreuder will stay. If NEC want to emulate any of this season's success, keeping the manager in is paramount.
4. FC Twente
Verdict: Success
What more could you ask from a team that changed managers in early September? John van den Brom took over after Joseph Oosting's FC Twente had lost three of their first four Eredivisie games. It took Van den Brom 30 games to do that - he lost just one league game between September 13 and March 18. Truly an astounding turnaround.
Qualifying for the UEFA Europa League qualifiers was the cherry on top. Just an overall great season for the one-time champions.
What's next?
Former Ajax and Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is stepping into the role of technical director for the first time. Ten Hag will take over in July and could likely dive straight into business.
18-year-old Ruud Nijstad has all the top clubs after him, while full-backs Mats Rots and Bart van Rooij were key in this season's success, which has likely made them top targets for some clubs. It'd be hard to replace them, just like it'll be hard to replace Ramiz Zerrouki, who'll return to Feyenoord, but won't stay there. He hasn't ruled out a return to Enschede...
5. Ajax
Verdict: Disaster
Just once since 1965 did Ajax finish lower than they did this season. A fifth-place finish got them into the play-offs, where FC Utrecht were downed on penalties in the final. Ajax reached the UEFA Conference League play-offs by the skin of their teeth - it embodies the drastic fall from grace of the last couple of years.
Ajax were led by three different managers, all of whom failed to impress whatsoever. 14 wins and 14 draws from 34 games, that's the lowest amount of wins since the 30-game 1964-65 season. Reaching the second round of the Conference League qualifiers is a band-aid on a gaping wound that might take years to heal.
What's next?
Jordi Cruyff has taken over as the club's technical director and is heading into his first full transfer window. It's been said that Cruyff is looking to add up to 15 players, six of whom should come for the starting XI.
That also means you shouldn't be surprised if Ajax hold a fire sale this summer - Anton Gaaei, Owen Wijndal, Josip Sutalo, Oliver Edvardsen, Wout Weghorst, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Vitezslav Jaros, Kasper Dolberg, Youri Baas, and Mika Godts are all primed to leave, whether it's to be shipped off, simply let go, or poached by big clubs. And then I haven't even started about all the players who went out on loan yet.
6. FC Utrecht
Verdict: So close, yet so far away
FC Utrecht were shown both sides of the coin this season. They started on fire with win after win in the UEFA Europa League qualifiers, but looked completely lost between September and January, a period in which they won just four games across all competitions.
They recovered and finished sixth, which meets the goal of most FC Utrecht fans. However, even after a fantastic second half of the season, FC Utrecht came away with nothing after losing to Ajax in the play-off final. It's time to start over.
What's next?
Anthony Correia will take over from the retiring Ron Jans after a sensational season with Telstar. It'll be Correia's first time being in charge of a club with bigger expectations, so it'll be interesting to see what FC Utrecht do next season.
They'll get to do it with teenage sensation Artem Stepanov, but without Sebastien Haller, who looks set to leave the club. Assist king Souffian El Karouani, who finished second in the Eredivisie with 12 assists, will leave on a free and leave a big gap to fill in Utrecht.
7. AZ
Verdict: Success
Cup winners for the fifth time in club history, quarterfinalists in the UEFA Conference League, and into the UEFA Europa League - AZ's season was a success. Even with a managerial switch in February, when Leeroy Echteld replaced the fired Maarten Martens just days after the 6-0 cup win over Ajax.
It was also a breakout season for several players - Troy Parrott was on fire, scoring 31 goals across all competitions, Kees Smit proved crucial to AZ's success, Sven Mijnans took on a massive role, and Wouter Goes grew more responsible and out of the role of a nuisance...
What's next?
... Probably a life without Troy Parrott and Kees Smit, first of all. Parrott is looking primed to leave after a heroic season, while AZ are in the market to sell Kees Smit for a premium. Sven Mijnans, meanwhile, is reportedly attracting interest from AC Milan, and Goes has opened the door to a departure from Alkmaar.
It'll be a new-look AZ team for Echteld, who'll have to prove himself in the UEFA Europa League.
8. sc Heerenveen
Verdict: On the right path
It was a much-needed improvement for Heerenveen under Robin Veldman, who led the Frisian side to the play-offs. New stars stood up in Jacob Trenskow, who received his maiden Denmark call-up, and Maxence Rivera on the left-hand side, while veteran Joris van Overeem was a beacon of peace.
In the end, FC Utrecht proved too much for Heerenveen in the play-offs, but there's no reason not to think that Heerenveen will improve next season.
What's next?
Heerenveen will hope to keep Trenskow on board, along with right-back Oliver Braude, who was excellent in the back. Veldman will stay, but assistant Henk Brugge will leave for Telstar. 2026-27 will be a year of hopefully more to come for Heerenveen.
9. FC Groningen
Verdict: Success
From relegation to promotion, and from securing another year in the Eredivisie to reaching the play-offs, making a move for FC Emmen boss Dick Lukkien is proving fruitful for FC Groningen. The 'Pride of the North' is enjoying a new rise to what they hope will be the top, somewhere they got close to when they were comfortably in fifth during the winter break.
What's next?
The successful loans of Dies Janse and Tygo Land have come to an end, while captain Stije Resink is scheduled to return to action around the new year after suffering a torn ACL in March. The only way for Groningen is up, and that's exactly where they seem to be headed.
10. Sparta Rotterdam
Verdict: Should've been a success
Another team that challenged themselves this season. At their best, Sparta were in fifth after a stellar run in December and January. However, it all came crashing down thereafter as Maurice Steijn's men won just one of their next 13 games. Four defeats in their last five games cost them dearly as FC Groningen overtook them late and took the last play-off ticket.
What's next?
Things are going to change in Spangen. Manager Maurice Steijn is leaving and will be replaced by Bayer Leverkusen assistant and former NEC boss Rogier Meijer, while Tobias Lauritsen is leaving on a free transfer, as is compatriot and fellow cornerstone Joshua Kitolano.
Joël Drommel will return to PSV after a great season between the sticks; Shurandy Sambo and Saïd Bakari will leave, leaving the right-back spot empty... It'll be a busy summer.
11. Fortuna Sittard
Verdict: Sometimes maybe good, sometimes maybe... You know
If championships were won in the bottom half, Fortuna Sittard would be perennial favourites. The Limburg side can always be found in either 10th or 11th at season's end, and 2025-26 was no different. They saw it all this season: beating third-placed NEC 3-2 twice, losing 4-1 to Telstar at home, beating cup winners AZ 4-3, and back to handing bottom feeders Heracles their only win of 2026. That's the Fortuna way.
What's next?
Finishing 10th or 11th, probably.
No, but really: strikers Kaj Sierhuis and Paul Gladon are both leaving the club upon the expiry of their contracts, making it slim pickings in that position. Midfielder Alen Halilovic is likely to leave, while Sven Simons joins from FC Eindhoven and is the only new arrival so far.
12. Go Ahead Eagles
Verdict: Disappointing
The Eagles came crashing down to earth after experiencing the highest high in club history. A year after their famous KNVB Beker win, Go Ahead Eagles found themselves in a relegation fight and only secured safety in early May. How different things can be in a season during which they also beat eventual winners Aston Villa in the UEFA Europa League?
Things were always going to be different after Paul Simonis' departure, and they were further complicated by the loss of MVP Oliver Antman in the summer and captain Mats Deijl in January. Add a busy European schedule to that equation, and you get a troubled season.
What's next?
Go Ahead Eagles are a well-run club, so I reckon they'll be on top of whatever is going on right now. For now, they'll only be losing loanees, but will Jakob Breum stay put after another good season in red and yellow? Deventer can only hope. I'm predicting the Eagles to be back in the top half next season, nonetheless.
13. Excelsior
Verdict: Noah Naujoks, oh-oh-oh
Ups and downs for Excelsior, but the ups were very, very much up there. A first-ever away win at Ajax was the highlight of their season right until relegation was officially avoided with a 1-1 draw against FC Volendam. Finishing thirteenth with one of the tightest budgets in the league is nothing short of amazing.
And what about Noah Naujoks? The team's top scorer as a midfielder and a true talisman, with Naujoks scoring in 5 of their 10 wins, with him scoring a winning goal in four of them.
What's next?
Expectations around Excelsior are always on the lower end. But with Arthur Zagre on the way out after a decent season, Ruben den Uil knows he'll have to improve in some places over the summer.
14. Telstar
Verdict: Miraculous success
What a story. Telstar returned to the Eredivisie after a 48-year absence and absolutely deserved to stay in the league after a great campaign. The White Lions struggled on paper, but were brilliant on grass and rewarded themselves with some beautiful results. What about beating champions PSV twice in one season?
Anthony Correia has done a fantastic job. Finishing the season with an 89th-minute penalty scored by the goalkeeper is the sweetest cherry on top of a delectable cake. Telstar fans, take another moment.
What's next?
Take it in, because Anthony Correia is out. The beloved manager is joining FC Utrecht, while Heerenveen assistant Henk Brugge replaces him. A lot of players will need replacing as well: Sem van Duijn, Neville Ogidi-Nwankwo, Nökkvi Thorisson, Gerald Alders, Cedric Hatenboer, and starlet Jochem Ritmeester van de Kamp are all leaving after a fruitful loan spell. There's a massive repair job in Velsen-Zuid up for grabs.
15. PEC Zwolle
Verdict: Lots to improve
They made it, but PEC Zwolle have played some truly abysmal games this season. Losing 8-2 to a Heracles Almelo team that had lost 8 of 9 games was simply remarkable, but was just one of several big losses. 6-1 to Feyenoord, 5-0 to Go Ahead Eagles, and 6-1 to PSV helped PEC finish with 71 conceded goals, the second-worst record in the league.
At least Koen Kostons was good with 17 goal contributions, and giving 16-year-old Jadiel Pereira da Gama his debut was incredible. The bright spots are indeed bright!
What's next?
Despite the hardships, PEC Zwolle fans can look forward to watching two of their guys play at the FIFA World Cup! Cape Verde's Jamiro Monteiro and New Zealand's Ryan Thomas have both been called up.
Monteiro, however, is leaving upon the expiry of his contract, just like Spanish-Irish defender Anselmo Garcia Mac Nulty. Koen Kostons is losing his strike partner, Kaj van Rooij, who's leaving for Real Valladolid, while Shola Shoretire, Zico Buurmeester, and Tristan Gooijer all leave as their loans end.
16. FC Volendam
Verdict: Ban goalkeepers from scoring in Volendam
You'll never see anything like this ever again. Scoring goalkeepers sunk FC Volendam two weeks in a row, with Telstar's Ronald Koeman sending FC Volendam to the relegation play-offs and Willem II's Thomas Didillon-Hödl scoring the winning penalty in the play-off final. It's a one-way ticket back to the Keuken Kampioen Divisie for 'the other Oranje'.
What's next?
Starting from scratch once again. Club icon Robert Mühren is retiring, while Juninho Bacuna, Dave Kwakman, Anthony Descotte, Benjamin Pauwels, Nick Verschuren, Bilal Ould-Chikh, and Joel Ideho all returning to their parent clubs. That's seven players FC Volendam relied upon this season.
17. NAC Breda
Verdict: Time for a rebuild
The experiment involving old big-name players has failed. NAC Breda, who boasted the likes of Lewis Holtby and André Ayew, have gone down. It was a dire year for NAC, who had won just three games prior to February. As NAC director Remco Oversier said: "A bingo card of utter chaos."
What's next?
The aforementioned players, Holtby, Ayew, and former Fulham man Denis Odoi, will leave. We can't expect star player Mohamed Nassoh to stay either, though manager Carl Hoefkens likely will. Whether there'll be a full rebuild was tough to say for Oversier, too: "We can also say that we won’t be letting anyone from the squad go. We’re keeping everyone who has a current contract. In principle, that is."
18. Heracles Almelo
Verdict: Ouch
What a peculiar season Heracles played. A disastrous start under Bas Sibum, who lost 9 of his 10 games in charge, was followed by a very fruitful spell under interim manager Hendrie Krüzen. All of a sudden, Heracles won four games in a row across all competitions. PEC Zwolle were beaten 8-2 in Krüzen's Eredivisie game in charge, after which Excelsior (2-1) and Go Ahead Eagles (4-2) were also defeated.
Then came Ernest Faber, and Heracles went back to square one. The club won just one of the next 20 games and scored as many goals as they did in Krüzen's first two league games (10). It was a disaster.
What's next?
A total overhaul. Heracles already lost top scorer Jizz Hornkamp in the winter and will see more starters leave in Ajdin Hrustic, Jannes Wieckhoff, Sava-Arangel Cestic, Lequincio Zeefuik, Alec van Hoorenbeeck, Walid Ould-Chikh, and Naci Unuvar.
They'll have to survive the Keuken Kampioen Divisie again, which they did in one go after suffering relegation in 2017. The club didn't go down without some last fighting words: "It is precisely in the face of adversity that we show who we are. Now is the time to show who we are. We will not back down. We will stand tall. And we will come back. Stronger. Together."