2022–23 Belgian Division 2

The 2022–23 Belgian Division 2 is the seventh season of the division in its current format, placed at the fourth-tier of football in Belgium.

With respect to the previous season, the most important change is the inclusion of U23 teams, with all three divisions seeing two teams enter and increase the size from 16 to 18 teams as a result. As before, leagues VV A and VV B consist of teams with a license from the Voetbalfederatie Vlaanderen (VV, the Flemish/Dutch speaking wing of the Belgian FA), while the ACFF league contains teams with a license from the Association des Clubs Francophones de Football (ACFF, the French-speaking wing of the RBFA). The champions from each of the three leagues will be promoted to the 2023–24 Belgian National Division 1.

Team changes

In

* Promoted from the 2021–22 Belgian Division 3 were champions Oostkamp (VV A), Racing Mechelen (VV B), Union Namur (ACFF A) and Dison (ACFF B).
* Six teams also gained promotion following wins in the promotion play-offs: Lebbeke, Torhout, Erpe-Mere United, Lille, Turnhout and Binche.
* Only one team was relegated from the 2021–22 Belgian National Division 1: La Louvière Centre.
* Six U23 teams were added to the league:
** Cercle Brugge and Zulte Waregem entered division VV A under the names of ''Jong Cercle'' and ''Jong Essevee''.
** Beerschot and KV Mechelen started in division VV B as ''Beerschot U23'' and ''Jong KV Mechelen''.
** The ACFF division was completed with the U23 teams of Seraing and Union SG as respectively ''RFC Seraing U23'' and ''Union SG B''.

Out

* Previous seasons' champions Hoogstraten (VV B) and RAAL La Louvière (ACFF) were promoted, as well as VV A division runners-up Ninove (who took the place of Sparta Petegem which did not apply for a licence, necessary to get promoted).
* Relegated based on their finishing positions last season were Houtvenne and Wijgmaal from division VV B and Couvin-Mariembourg, Givry and Durbuy from the ACFF division.
* In division VV A, Zwevezele and Menen dropped down voluntarily to restart at lower levels, while Ronse folded as a team entirely with its matricule number scrapped, although de facto it merged into another team.

Belgian Division 2 VV A

League table

Belgian Division 2 VV B

League table

Belgian Division 2 ACFF

League table

Championship match

With two divisions on VV side, the two divisional champions decided to play a championship match to determine the overall VV Division 2 champion.

Championship match VV

Cappellen was awarded the symbolic title of Belgian Division 2 VV champion.

Promotion play-offs

Promotion play-offs VV

The teams finishing in second place in the Belgian Division 2 VV A and Belgian Division 2 VV B take part in a promotion playoff first round together with three period winners from these both divisions. These 8 teams from the VV play the first round of a promotion playoff, with two teams qualifying for the Promotion play-offs Final.

In division A, Eendracht Aalst won the first period and was joined by the teams in positions 2 through 4: Petegem, Oostkamp and Jong Cercle, as the other two periods were won by champions Lokeren-Temse. In division B, Hades (2nd), Hasselt (3rd), and City Pirates (12th) each were able to win a period and thereby qualified. They were joined by the highest finisher not already qualified: Belisia Bilzen (4th). Of these eight teams, only Belisia Bilzen, Eendracht Aalst, Hasselt and Jong Cercle are eligible for promotion and can qualify for the Promotion play-offs Final.

VV Round 1

Jong Cercle, Hasselt, Belisia Bilsen, and Hades qualified for the VV second-round promotion play-offs. As more than two of the eligible teams qualified, VV Round 2 was necessary.

VV Round 2

Hasselt and Jong Cercle qualified for the promotion play-offs Final and were both eligible, hence the third round match between Belisia Bilzen and Hades was not played as there was nothing more at stake.

Promotion play-offs ACFF

With champions Warnant ineligible for promotion, second-placed Union Namur was directly promoted instead. As no teams outside the top six won a period title, the teams in positions 3 through 6 participated in the playoffs. Prior to the start of these play-offs however, both Meux and Binche were already ineligible for promotion as they had not applied for a license for the level above.

ACFF Round 1

La Louvière Centre and Binche qualified for ACFF Round 2. Binche was however ineligible for promotion and hence La Louvière Centre was already certain of participating in the Promotion play-offs Final irrespective of the result.

ACFF Round 2

Promotion play-offs Final

The two winners of the Promotion play-offs on the VV side ( Jong Cercle and Hasselt) and La Louvière Centre, the only team with a valid license taking part in the ACFF Promotion play-offs played a final tournament together with the team that finished in 14th place in the 2022–23 Belgian National Division 1 ( Young Reds Antwerp). The winner of this play-off promotes to (or remains in) the 2023–24 Belgian National Division 1. As Young Reds Antwerp is a team from the VV side, there will be an extra VV team relegating from the 2022–23 Belgian Division 2 (and all levels below) in case the team from the ACFF side (La Louvière Centre) gets promoted. In this division, this meant that R.F.C. Wetteren, the winner of the Relegation play-offs, had to hope La Louvière Centre would not win the Promotion play-offs Final.

Final Round 1

La Louvière Centre and Hasselt were eliminated and remain in the Belgian Division 2. Due to the non-promotion of La Louvière Centre, both the outgoing and incoming team will be of the same (Flemish) side of the football pyramid, and hence there will be no extra promotions on ACFF side, nor extra relegations on VV side. On VV side in particular, the following teams were spared of relegation due to the loss of La Louvière Centre: Wetteren (Division 2), Witgoor (Division 3), Ranst (1st Provincial Division Antwerp), Willebroek (2nd Provincial Division Antwerp) and Berendrecht (3rd Provincial Division Antwerp).

Final Round 2

As Young Reds Antwerp won the match, both clubs remained in their division. Young Reds Antwerp will play in the Belgian National Division 1, while Jong Cercle will play in the Belgian Division 2.

Relegation play-off

At this level of the football pyramid, there is only a relegation playoff on the VV side, with the two teams finishing 14th playing each other.

Prior to the match, it was known that the loser of this VV play-off would be relegated, while the winner would need to await the results of higher divisions. Turnhout was thus relegated while Wetteren was unsure. On 27 May 2023, following the loss of La Louvière Centre in the Promotion play-offs Final of the 2022–23 Belgian Division 2, there would be no extra relegations on VV side and hence Wetteren was spared of relegation.

Number of teams by provinces

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:22-23 Belgian Division 2
Belgian Division 2
Bel
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