The Hoofdklasse is the second highest league of amateur women's footballin the Netherlands, and the third tier in general.
When the Hoofdklasse was created in 1973, the league was the top-level league of the Netherlands, and the winner was named the national champion. After the 2006/07 season, the professional Eredivisie was established as the top-level league which now plays out the championship.
There was no relegation or promotion between those two leagues.[1]
In the 2011/12 season the Hoofdklasse became a third level league, and above it the Topklasse was created. The Hoffdklasse thus is the second highest amateur league and now promotes teams to the Topklasse.
Format
From 1973 to 1994, the Hoofdklasse was Championship Playoff between regional champions. Mostly consisting of 6 regional champions that would play each other once. The winner of the group becoming the champion of the Netherlands. Since the 1994–95 season the Hoofdklasse was played nationwide as a 12 team league.
The teams play each other 2 times over the course of the season.
The last two teams get relegated into the Eerste Klasse.
Until 2012, the Hoofdklasse was the first tier and its champions were champions of the Netherlands.[3] Since 2012, the Hoofdklasse is a third level league and the winner is no longer the champion of the Netherlands.
