2020–21 Belgian First Division A

The 2020–21 Belgian First Division A is the 118th season of top-tier football in Belgium. As part of a proposal by the Jupiler Pro League's board of directors accepted by the General Assembly on 15 May 2020, the 2020–21 season will involve shortened playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Only the top four teams will play off for the title, while teams five through eight will playoff for the remaining ticket into Europe.[1] The league fixtures were announced on 8 July 2020.[2]

Belgian First Division A
Season2020–21
Dates8 August 2020 – 30 May 2021
Matches played225
Goals scored660 (2.93 per match)
Top goalscorerPaul Onuachu
(22 goals)
Biggest home winGent 5–1 Beerschot
(4 October 2020)
Genk 4–0 Eupen
(30 October 2020)
Biggest away winZulte Waregem 0–6 Club Brugge
(20 September 2020)
Highest scoringKortrijk 5–5 Beerschot
(7 November 2020)
Longest winning run7 matches
Club Brugge
Genk
Longest unbeaten run10 matches
Genk
Longest winless run10 matches
Cercle Brugge
Mouscron
Waasland-Beveren
Longest losing run7 matches
Cercle Brugge
2021–22 →

Team changes

Waasland-Beveren were originally relegated to the Belgian First Division B, as they were the bottom-placed team when the 2019–20 Belgian First Division A stopped prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, following legal proceedings, they remained in the top-flight, and instead the league was expanded to 18 teams, with both OH Leuven and Beerschot being promoted (where instead normally only one of them would have gained promotion). Beerschot will make their debut for the first time in the top tier of Belgian football.

Format change

With now 18 instead of 16 teams, the format has changed somewhat. While the season still starts with an initial round-robin phase in which all teams play each other twice, the end of season play-offs have been shortened temporarily and for the 2020–21 and 2021–22 seasons only. The title playoffs will now only be played by the top four teams (instead of six) and the Europa League play-offs will now be played by the teams finishing fifth through eight (instead of all teams finishing below 6th). As a result, for all teams finishing below 9th the season will be over upon completion of the round-robin phase, with the team in last position being relegated. One exception is the team finishing in 17th position, as this team will play a promotion-relegation play off against the 2nd-place finisher in the 2020–21 Belgian First Division B, with the winner playing in the 2021–22 Belgian First Division A.

Teams

Stadiums and locations
Locations of the 2020–21 Belgian First Division A teams
Matricule Club Location Venue Capacity
35 Anderlecht Anderlecht Lotto Park 21,500
1 Antwerp Antwerp Bosuilstadion 12,975
13 Beerschot Antwerp Olympic Stadium 12,771
12 Cercle Brugge Bruges Jan Breydel Stadium 29,042
22 Charleroi Charleroi Stade du Pays de Charleroi 14,000
3 Club Brugge Bruges Jan Breydel Stadium 29,042
4276 Eupen Eupen Kehrwegstadion 08,363
322 Genk Genk Luminus Arena 24,956
7 Gent Ghent Ghelamco Arena 20,000
19 Kortrijk Kortrijk Guldensporen Stadion 09,399
25 Mechelen Mechelen AFAS-stadion Achter de Kazerne 16,700
216 Mouscron Mouscron Stade Le Canonnier 10,571
31 Oostende Ostend Versluys Arena 08,432
18 Oud-Heverlee Leuven Leuven Den Dreef 10,000
373 Sint-Truiden Sint-Truiden Stayen 14,600
16 Standard Liège Liège Stade Maurice Dufrasne 30,023
4068 Waasland-Beveren Beveren Freethiel Stadion 08,190
5381 Zulte Waregem Waregem Regenboogstadion 12,500

Personnel and kits
Club Manager Kit Manufacturer Sponsors
Anderlecht Vincent Kompany[n 1] Joma DVV Insurance (home)
Candriam (away)
Antwerp Franky Vercauteren [n 2] Jako Ghelamco
Beerschot Will Still [n 3] XIII[n 4] Yelo
Cercle Brugge Yves Vanderhaeghe [n 5] Kappa Napoleon Games
Charleroi Karim Belhocine Kappa Lotto
Club Brugge Philippe Clement Macron Unibet
Eupen Beñat San José Adidas Qatar Airways
Excel Mouscron Jorge Simão [n 6] Uhlsport Star Casino
Genk John van den Brom [n 7] Nike Beobank
Gent Hein Vanhaezebrouck [n 8] Craft VDK Bank
Kortrijk Luka Elsner [n 9] Jako AGO Jobs & HR
Mechelen Wouter Vrancken Jartazi Telenet
OH Leuven Marc Brys Adidas King Power
Oostende Alexander Blessin Kipsta Star Casino
Sint-Truiden Peter Maes [n 10] Macron DMM.com
Standard Liège Mbaye Leye [n 11] New Balance VOO
Waasland-Beveren Nicky Hayen Uhlsport Star Casino
Zulte-Waregem Francky Dury Patrick Napoleon Games

Managerial changes

Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position Replaced by Date of appointment
Cercle Brugge Bernd Storck End of contract[3] End of 2019–20 season Pre-season Paul Clement 3 July 2020[4]
Antwerp László Bölöni End of contract[5] Ivan Leko 20 May 2020[6]
Sint-Truiden Miloš Kostić Mutual consent[7] Kevin Muscat 2 June 2020[8]
Waasland-Beveren Dirk Geeraerd (caretaker) Caretaker replaced Nicky Hayen 4 June 2020 [9]
Oostende Adnan Čustović Replaced[10] Alexander Blessin 7 June 2020[10]
Standard Liège Michel Preud'homme Resigned[11] Philippe Montanier 10 June 2020[12]
Excel Mouscron Bernd Hollerbach Mutual consent[13] Fernando Da Cruz 18 July 2020[14]
Anderlecht Franky Vercauteren Kompany became sole manager[15] 17 August 2020 3rd Vincent Kompany 17 August 2020[15]
Gent Jess Thorup Sacked[16] 20 August 2020 16th László Bölöni 20 August 2020[16]
Gent László Bölöni Sacked[17] 14 September 2020 16th Wim De Decker 14 September 2020
Genk Hannes Wolf Sacked[18] 15 September 2020 14th Domenico Olivieri (caretaker) 15 September 2020
Genk Domenico Olivieri Caretaker replaced[19] 24 September 2020 14th Jess Thorup 24 September 2020
Excel Mouscron Fernando Da Cruz Sacked[20] 19 October 2020 18th Jorge Simão 20 October 2020[21]
Genk Jess Thorup Became manager at Copenhagen[22] 2 November 2020 7th John van den Brom[23] 8 November 2020 [n 12]
Sint-Truiden Kevin Muscat Sacked[24] 1 December 2020 16th Stef Van Winckel (caretaker) 1 December 2020
Gent Wim De Decker Sacked[25] 3 December 2020 12th Hein Vanhaezebrouck[26] 4 December 2020
Sint-Truiden Stef Van Winckel Caretaker replaced[27] 7 December 2020 17th Peter Maes[27] 7 December 2020
Standard Liège Philippe Montanier Sacked[28] 26 December 2020 11th Mbaye Leye[29] 30 December 2020
Antwerp Ivan Leko Became manager at Shanghai SIPG[30] 29 December 2020 5th Franky Vercauteren[31] 4 January 2021
Beerschot Hernán Losada Became manager at D.C. United[32] 17 January 2021 10th Will Still[33] 19 January 2021
Kortrijk Yves Vanderhaeghe Sacked[34] 31 January 2021 15th Luka Elsner[34] 31 January 2021
Cercle Brugge Paul Clement Sacked[35] 1 February 2021 17th Yves Vanderhaeghe[36] 3 February 2021

Regular season

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Club Brugge 26 19 3 4 55 18 +37 60 Qualification for the Europa Conference League and Play-offs I[lower-alpha 1]
2 Antwerp 26 14 4 8 43 35 +8 46 Qualification for the Play-offs I
3 Genk 26 12 7 7 50 35 +15 43
4 Anderlecht 26 10 11 5 36 27 +9 41
5 Oostende 26 11 6 9 39 34 +5 39 Qualification for the Play-offs II
6 Standard Liège 26 10 9 7 37 30 +7 39
7 Charleroi 26 11 5 10 39 35 +4 38
8 Beerschot 26 11 4 11 47 50 −3 37
9 OH Leuven 26 10 7 9 41 42 −1 37
10 Mechelen 26 10 6 10 39 42 −3 36
11 Zulte Waregem 26 10 4 12 39 46 −7 34
12 Gent 26 9 6 11 36 33 +3 33
13 Kortrijk 26 9 6 11 32 37 −5 33
14 Eupen 26 7 11 8 32 42 −10 32
15 Sint-Truiden 26 8 6 12 34 40 −6 30
16 Excel Mouscron 26 6 8 12 23 37 −14 26
17 Cercle Brugge 26 7 1 18 30 48 −18 22 Qualification for the Relegation play-off
18 Waasland-Beveren 26 5 6 15 32 56 −24 21 Relegation to First Division B
Updated to match(es) played on 7 February 2021. Source: Jupiler Pro League (in Dutch), Soccerway
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Matches won; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Away matches won; 6) Away goal difference; 7) Away goals scored; 8) Play-off.[37]
Notes:
  1. The regular season winners will qualify for the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League if they do not qualify for the 2021–22 UEFA Champions League in the playoffs.

Results
Home \ Away AND ANT BEE CER CHA CLU EUP GNK GNT KVK KVM EXM OHL OOS STA STR W-B ZWA
Anderlecht — 1–0 2–0 2–0 3–0 10 Apr 1–1 1–0 0–0 21 Feb 6 Mar 1–1 2–2 2–1 0–0 3–1 0–0 20 Mar
Antwerp 3 Apr — 3–2 1–0 2–1 0–2 2–2 17 Apr 1–0 6 Mar 4–1 1–1 3–2 1–2 1–1 21 Feb 3–2 0–1
Beerschot 2–1 1–2 — 1–1 20 Mar 0–3 0–1 5–2 1–1 0–0 14 Feb 28 Feb 4–2 10 Apr 0–3 6–3 3–2 3–1
Cercle Brugge 14 Feb 2–1 3 Apr — 3–4 1–2 1–2 1–5 5–2 0–1 0–1 1–2 10 Apr 0–1 0–1 3–0 27 Feb 1–3
Charleroi 1–0 2–0 3–1 3–0 — 14 Feb 17 Apr 26 Feb 0–1 0–0 0–1 3 Apr 1–1 1–0 1–2 6 Mar 0–2 1–1
Club Brugge 3–0 20 Mar 0–1 2–1 0–1 — 3–0 3–2 0–1 1–0 2–2 17 Apr 22 Feb 2–1 3–1 1–0 4–1 6 Mar
Eupen 2–0 0–2 3–1 1–2 3–1 0–4 — 1–4 2–1 20 Mar 1–1 1–1 6 Mar 20 Feb 10 Apr 1–1 1–1 2–3
Genk 1–2 4–2 21 Feb 6 Mar 2–1 1–2 4–0 — 1–1 2–0 3–1 4–1 1–1 2–2 20 Mar 10 Apr 1–1 3–2
Gent 1–1 0–1 5–1 20 Mar 10 Apr 28 Feb 2–2 1–2 — 1–2 1–0 15 Feb 2–3 6 Mar 2–1 1–1 3–0 0–3
Kortrijk 1–3 1–3 5–5 1–2 1–3 3 Apr 0–0 2–1 1–0 — 17 Apr 3–0 0–3 3–1 2–1 0–2 1–3 27 Feb
Mechelen 2–2 3–0 2–3 2–3 3–3 0–3 3–0 0–0 19 Feb 1–2 — 2–1 20 Mar 0–1 0–4 2–0 2–3 10 Apr
Excel Mouscron 1–1 10 Apr 3–1 20 Feb 1–1 0–0 0–2 2–0 0–1 0–3 0–1 — 2–2 20 Mar 6 Mar 3–2 1–1 0–1
OH Leuven 1–0 1 Mar 0–1 2–1 1–3 2–1 1–1 3 Apr 0–3 12 Feb 1–2 2–0 — 1–2 1–0 2–2 17 Apr 2–1
Oostende 2–2 1–1 1–2 17 Apr 3–2 1–3 1–1 13 Feb 2–1 2–1 27 Feb 3–0 3–1 — 2–2 1–3 3 Apr
Standard Liège 28 Feb 14 Feb 17 Apr 1–0 3–2 1–1 2–2 0–0 3 Apr 2–1 2–2 0–1 1–1 1–0 — 1–2 3–1 2–2
Sint-Truiden 17 Apr 2–3 1–0 3–0 1–2 1–2 28 Feb 1–2 2–1 0–0 3 Apr 0–2 3–1 0–0 2–0 — 1–1 13 Feb
Waasland-Beveren 2–4 0–3 6 Mar 0–2 20 Feb 0–2 13 Feb 1–1 1–4 10 Apr 2–3 2–0 1–3 2–0 1–2 20 Mar — 1–5
Zulte Waregem 2–2 1–3 0–3 1–0 0–2 0–6 3 Apr 1–2 17 Apr 1–1 1–2 1–0 2–3 2–1 21 Feb 0–2 4–1 —
Updated to match(es) played on 7 February 2021. Source: Belgian Pro League
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Play-offs

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH
1 1st place of the regular season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the Champions League group stage —
2 2nd place of the regular season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the Champions League third qualifying round —
3 3rd place of the regular season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification for the Europa Conference League third qualifying round —
4 4th place of the regular season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification to European competition play-offs[lower-alpha 1] —
Source: Sport.be
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.[38]
Notes:
  1. Winner of play-off will qualify to Europa Conference League second qualifying round.

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation 5TH 6TH 7TH 8TH
1 5th place of the regular season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Qualification to European competition play-offs[lower-alpha 1] —
2 6th place of the regular season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 —
3 7th place of the regular season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 —
4 8th place of the regular season 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 —
Source: Sport.be
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.[39]
Notes:
  1. Winner of play-off will qualify to Europa Conference League second qualifying round.


European competition play-offs

The fourth-placed team of the play-offs I and the first-placed team of the play-offs II played two matches by home-and-away matches to determine the Europa League play-off winner. The winner will qualify for the second qualifying round of the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League.


Season statistics
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