Welcome back, sports fans and Hive enthusiasts! If you’ve been following the Jupiler Pro League—or as I like to call it, the "League of Unexpected Plot Twists"—you know that this past weekend wasn't just a regular end to a season. It was a fever dream. It was a collective heart attack. It was, quite literally, the peak of Belgian football madness.
For a decade now, Belgium has utilized the infamous "Play-Off" system. It’s a format that many traditionalists claim to hate until the clock starts ticking and the points are halved. Personally? I am a massive fan of the Play-Offs. There is something uniquely gladiatorial about it: you have to face the other five best teams in the country, home and away, and prove—without a shadow of a doubt—that you are worthy of lifting that trophy. It’s the ultimate survival of the fittest.
Going into this past Sunday, we had three teams fighting for the final Champions’ Play-Off spots and three teams desperately clawing to avoid the Relegation Play-Offs. If you enjoy stress-free Sunday afternoons, Belgian football is definitely not for you.
Let’s talk about the trio of Anderlecht, Gent, and Genk. The permutations were so complex they required a PhD in Mathematics and a crystal ball. Genk needed to win and pray that Gent stumbled, or that Anderlecht got absolutely hammered to fix the goal difference.
And boy, did Genk deliver on the "entertainment" front. I don’t know what was in the water in the locker rooms, but their match was hallucinogenic. They went up 0-2, then it was 2-2, then 2-3 at the half. Most teams would settle down after that, right? Not in Belgium. We saw 3-3, 3-4, 3-5, and finally—because why not—a 5-5 draw.
While Genk was busy playing a game of FIFA with the "no defense" slider turned up to 100, Anderlecht was busy losing 1-3. For a good portion of the afternoon, Gent was held to a draw. The tension was so thick you couldn't cut it with a knife; you’d need a chainsaw. To see this kind of suspense two months before the end of the season is simply incredible.
Despite this peak drama, the Belgian professional clubs have decided to return to a "traditional" 18-team format. In my humble opinion, 18 teams is far too many for a league of our size.
Even worse, the financial reality is looking grim. The new football TV contract is expected to bring in less money. Why? Because the "product" is losing its edge. Without the high-stakes pressure cooker of the Play-Offs, the tension evaporates. Next year, we might find ourselves in a situation where the champion is already decided five games before the end of the season. How boring is that? We’re trading a high-octane thriller for a slow-moving documentary. But the top clubs were against it, so called due to too many games in the format! I am sure there were other things involved then this.
The history books of the last decade are filled with stories that shouldn't have been possible. These are the moments that made me fall in love with the format:
The 2011 "Teenage Wall": On the very last day, Genk and Standard Liège played a literal "final" for the title. Standard only needed one goal, but a 19-year-old Thibaut Courtois produced a series of saves so legendary they practically launched his career to Chelsea and Real Madrid on the spot.
The 2015 "Buffalo" Breakthrough: KAA Gent, under Hein Vanhaezebrouck, proved the Play-Offs weren't just for the "Big Three." They dominated the post-season to win their first-ever title, proving that if you're good enough, the system rewards you with immortality.
The 2023 "Three-Way Heart Attack": Perhaps the craziest 5 minutes in football history. At 90 minutes, Union SG was champion. At 91 minutes, Genk was champion. Then, in the 94th minute, Toby Alderweireld smashed a rocket into the top corner, and suddenly Antwerp claimed their first title in 66 years. The league trophy was literally in a helicopter hovering between stadiums because nobody knew where it needed to land.
The 2024 Club Brugge Miracle: Let’s not forget the most recent heist. Club Brugge entered the Play-Offs in 4th place, trailing the leaders by a massive 19 points (pre-halving). They were written off. Yet, they treated every Play-Off game like a cup final and surged past everyone to snatch the crown.
So why is this disappearing? Politics. The decision came down to a single vote. And here is the kicker—the vote that killed the Play-Offs came from my own club.
I won't forgive them for it. They traded the most exciting league format in Europe for a "safety net" package because it saved their U23 squad from relegation in the Challenger Pro League. They traded the soul of the first division for the survival of their youth prospects in the second. It’s like trading a Ferrari for a lifetime supply of bus passes.
The sprint to the end of the regular season was breathtaking, and after the international break, the madness continues in the various Play-Offs. The points are cut, the pressure is doubled, and the history books are open for one last chaotic chapter.
The Play-Offs were messy, controversial, and often confusing. But they forced you to look your rivals in the eye and prove you were the best. Without them, we’re just another "standard" league where the excitement might be dead by April.
What do you think? Are we heading toward a snooze-fest with 18 teams, or was the point-halving just too much "fake" drama for you?
Cheers, Peter
