Sportclub Cambuur, most often styled SC Cambuur () and sometimes Cambuur Leeuwarden, is a Dutch professional football club in Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland. Founded on 19 June 1964, the team compete in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football, following promotion from the Eerste Divisie in the 2025–26 season. Since August 2024, they have played their home games at the 15,000‑seat Kooi Stadion, a purpose‑built stadium that replaced Cambuur Stadion.
Cambuur play in yellow shirts and blue shorts, colours drawn from the coat of arms of the Cammingha family, whose heraldic lions also feature on the club crest. Organised as a member‑owned association, the club enjoys strong regional backing and contests the "Friese Derby" against neighbouring sc Heerenveen.
The club have won the second-tier Eerste Divisie three times (1991–92, 2012–13 and 2020–21) and spent a total of nine seasons in the top-tier Eredivisie. Away from the pitch Cambuur operate an accredited youth academy and the Cambuur Foundation, which runs grassroots sport and social‑inclusion programmes throughout Friesland.
History
Founded in 1964, SC Cambuur has spent a total of nine seasons in the Dutch top flight, the Eredivisie. During the 1980s and 1990s, the club was a consistent contender in the Eerste Divisie promotion play-offs. Cambuur won the Eerste Divisie title in 1992 and earned promotion to the Eredivisie, but were relegated two seasons later following the 1993–94 season. In 1998, the club returned to the Eredivisie, though they were again relegated after just two seasons, in the 1999–2000 season.
The early 2000s proved turbulent, and in 2005 the club narrowly avoided bankruptcy. A period of restructuring began in 2006, and by 2010 Cambuur had achieved relative financial stability.
In 2009, Cambuur came close to promotion, narrowly losing a play-off to Roda JC on penalties. The following year, they finished second in the league and again missed promotion by a slim margin. The club attracted over 40,000 spectators during that year's play-offs, with an estimated 7,000 supporters gathering in Leeuwarden's city centre to watch the decisive match against Roda on a large screen. The final match drew a record 1.4 million television viewers in the Netherlands, and the entire play-off series—featuring Cambuur, PEC Zwolle, and Roda JC—was watched by more than 4.5 million people.
Cambuur won the Eerste Divisie title in the 2012–13 season, earning promotion to the Eredivisie for the 2013–14 season. On 1 May 2016, they were relegated back to the Eerste Divisie after a 6–2 away defeat to PSV.
In 2020, Cambuur were leading the Eerste Divisie when the season was voided due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the club was controversially denied promotion to the Eredivisie.
The club returned to the top flight after winning the 2020–21 Eerste Divisie title. In the 2021–22 season, Cambuur achieved a ninth-place finish—the highest league position in the club's history. However, the following campaign proved difficult, and on 6 May 2023, Cambuur were relegated back to the Eerste Divisie following a 3–0 away defeat to FC Utrecht.
Cambuur secured promotion to the Eredivisie for the 2026–27 season after finishing as runners-up in the 2025–26 Eerste Divisie.
Supporters Cambuur has a group of ultras, known as the M.I.-Side, who stand on the north stand at the Kooi Stadion, but used to stand at both the north and south stands at the Cambuur Stadion. The name derives from the street names in which the stands of the Cambuur stadion were built: M stands for Marathonstraat and I for Insulindestraat. They are among the most notorious in the Netherlands. In the 2009–10 season, the average attendance was 8,600 fans per game, and more than 6,500 season tickets were sold. That was a new record for Cambuur, as these numbers were achieved while the club was in the second division but even higher than when it played in the Eredivisie. In the 2009–10 season, the club sold out six regular season matches with 10,000 fans per game, another milestone for the Leeuwarden-based club. Never before in the second division it had sold out that many regular season matches.
Current squad
Honours Eerste Divisie Winners (3): 1991–92, 2012–13, 2020–21 Runners-up (4): 1996–97, 1997–98, 2009–10, 2025–26 Tweede Divisie Winners (2): 1956–57, 1964–65
Recent history
Below is a table with Cambuur's domestic results since the introduction of professional football in 1956.
Domestic Results since 1956Domestic leagueLeague resultQualification toKNVB Cup seasonCup result2025–26 Eerste Divisie2ndEredivisie (promotion)2025–26first round2024–25 Eerste Divisie3rdpromotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion2024–25second round2023–24 Eerste Divisie13th –2023–24semi-finals2022–23 Eredivisie17thEerste Divisie (relegation)2022–23second round2021–22 Eredivisie9th –2021–22second round2020–21 Eerste Divisie1stEredivisie (promotion)2020–21second round2019–20 Eerste Divisie(no title awarded)Season abandoned due to COVID-19 pandemic2019–20second round2018–19 Eerste Divisie10thpromotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion2018–19round of 162017–18 Eerste Divisie8thpromotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion2017–18quarter-finals2016–17 Eerste Divisie3rdpromotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion2016–17semi-finals2015–16 Eredivisie18thEerste Divisie (relegation)2015–16second round2014–15 Eredivisie12th –2014–15quarter-finals2013–14 Eredivisie12th –2013–14round of 162012–13 Eerste Divisie1stEredivisie (promotion)2012–13Round of 162011–12 Eerste Divisie7thpromotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion2011–12second round2010–11 Eerste Divisie5thpromotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion2010–11fourth round2009–10 Eerste Divisie2ndpromotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion2009–10second round2008–09 Eerste Divisie3rdpromotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion2008–09third round2007–08 Eerste Divisie17th –2007–08third round2006–07 Eerste Divisie12th –2006–07second round2005–06 Eerste Divisie15th –2005–06second round2004–05 Eerste Divisie9th –2004–05second round2003–04 Eerste Divisie17th –2003–04third round2002–03 Eerste Divisie11th –2002–03second round2001–02 Eerste Divisie7thpromotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion2001–02third round2000–01 Eerste Divisie4thpromotion/relegation play-offs: no promotion2000–01third round1999–2000 Eredivisie17thEerste Divisie (losing promo./releg. play-off)1999–2000second round1998–99 Eredivisie15th –1998–99round of 161997–98 Eerste Divisie2ndEredivisie (winning promo./releg. play-off)1997–98second round1996–97 Eerste Divisie2ndpromotion/relegation play-off: no promotion1996–97second round1995–96 Eerste Divisie6th –1995–96quarter-finals1994–95 Eerste Divisie7th –1994–95second round1993–94 Eredivisie18thEerste Divisie (relegation)1993–94second round1992–93 Eredivisie14th –1992–93third round1991–92 Eerste Divisie1stEredivisie (promotion)1991–92third round1990–91 Eerste Divisie11th –1990–91second round1989–90 Eerste Divisie11th –1989–90first round1988–89 Eerste Divisie11th –1988–89first round1987–88 Eerste Divisie11th –1987–88second round1986–87 Eerste Divisie3rdpromotion competition: no promotion1986–87first round1985–86 Eerste Divisie19th –1985–86first round1984–85 Eerste Divisie9th –1984–85second round1983–84 Eerste Divisie4th –1983–84first round1982–83 Eerste Divisie5thpromotion competition: no promotion1982–83second round1981–82 Eerste Divisie11th –1981–82second round1980–81 Eerste Divisie9th –1980–81first round1979–80 Eerste Divisie5thpromotion competition: no promotion1979–80second round1978–79 Eerste Divisie15th –1978–79first round1977–78 Eerste Divisie12th –1977–78second round1976–77 Eerste Divisie10th –1976–77first round1975–76 Eerste Divisie11th –1975–76first round1974–75 Eerste Divisie13th –1974–75second round1973–74 Eerste Divisie11th –1973–74first round1972–73 Eerste Divisie7th –1972–73first round1971–72 Eerste Divisie8th –1971–72did not participate1970–71 Eerste Divisie4th –1970–71round of 161969–70 Eerste Divisie8th –1969–70first round 1968–69 Eerste Divisie4th –1968–69first round 1967–68 Eerste Divisie9th –1967–68group stage 1966–67 Eerste Divisie4th –1966–67first round 1965–66 Eerste Divisie9th –1965–66group stage 1964–65 Tweede Divisie1st (winning championship play-off)Eerste Divisie (promotion)1964–65first round 1963–64 Tweede Divisie9th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden) –1963–64first round 1962–63 Tweede Divisie7th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden) –1962–63first round 1961–62 Eerste Divisie13th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)Tweede Divisie (relegation)1961–62? 1960–61 Eerste Divisie10th (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden) –1960–61? 1959–60 Eerste Divisie6th (group B) (as VV Leeuwarden) –not heldnot held1958–59 Eerste Divisie2nd (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden) –1958–59? 1957–58 Eerste Divisie3rd (group B) (as VV Leeuwarden) –1957–58? 1956–57 Tweede Divisie1st (group A) (as VV Leeuwarden)Eerste Divisie (promotion)1956–57?
Club staff
PositionStaffManager Henk de JongAssistant Manager Jeroen Burghout Rik ReinsmaGoalkeeper Coach Peter van der VlagPerformance Coach Nicky Boonstra Daan GanzingaVideo Analyst Gergely Balázs SándorDoctor Dirk Steensma Antje Tardy Monique HaaksemaPhysiotherapist Harvey Bischop Kevin KosterMaterialman Paul JansenTeam Manager Peter Drijver Niels Dissel Source:
Managers
Jan Bens (1 July 1964 – 30 June 1966) Piet de Wolf (1966–68) Jan Bens (1 July 1968 – 30 June 1970) Arie Otten (1 July 1970 – 30 June 1972) Leo Beenhakker (1972–75) Nol de Ruiter (1 July 1976 – 30 June 1980) Henk de Jonge (1980–83) Theo Verlangen (1983–85) Simon Kistemaker (1 July 1985 – 30 June 1986) Fritz Korbach (1 July 1986 – 30 June 1988) Sándor Popovics (1 June 1988 – 30 June 1990) Rob Baan (1 July 1990 – 30 June 1992) Theo de Jong (1 July 1992 – 30 September 1993) Fritz Korbach (30 September 1993 – 31 January 1995) Han Berger (1 July 1995 – 30 June 1998) Gert Kruys (1 July 1998 – 18 May 2002) Henny Lee (interim) (19 May 2002 – 30 June 2002) Rob McDonald (1 July 2002 – 30 June 2003) Dick de Boer (1 July 2003 – 31 December 2004) Jan Schulting (31 December 2004 – 30 June 2005) Roy Wesseling (1 July 2005 – 19 February 2007) Gerrie Schouwenaar (2007) Jurrie Koolhof (1 July 2007 – 14 September 2008) Stanley Menzo (20 September 2008 – 27 October 2010) Alfons Arts (27 October 2010 – 22 March 2013) Henk de Jong (interim) (22 March 2013 – 30 June 2013) Dwight Lodeweges (1 July 2013 – 1 April 2014) Henk de Jong (2 April 2014 – 9 February 2016) Marcel Keizer (15 February 2016 – 30 June 2016)Cambuur strikt Keizer als hoofdtrainer – AD Rob Maas (30 June 2016 – 15 October 2016) Sipke Hulshoff (15 October 2016 – 17 June 2017) Marinus Dijkhuizen (1 July 2017 – 28 November 2017) Sipke Hulshoff (28 November 2017 – 31 January 2018) René Hake (31 January 2018 – 30 June 2019) Henk de Jong (1 July 2019 – 20 October 2022) Pascal Bosschaart & Martijn Barto (interim) (20 October 2022 – 14 November 2022) Sjors Ultee (14 November 2022 – 9 October 2023) Henk de Jong (10 October 2023 – present)
Notable former players
The players below had senior international cap(s) for their respective countries. Players whose name is listed represented their countries while playing for SC Cambuur.
Aruba Jayden Kruydenhof Cameroon Marc Mboua Democratic Republic of Congo Jody Lukoki Indonesia Stefano Lilipaly Iran Reza Ghoochannejhad Lithuania Vytautas Andriuškevičius
Morocco Adnane Tighadouini Netherlands Bert Konterman Michael Mols Jaap Stam Netherlands Antilles Robin Nelisse Nigeria Bartholomew Ogbeche Philippines Paul Mulders
Republic of Ireland Jack Byrne Slovakia Albert Rusnák Ukraine Yevhen Levchenko United States Gregg Berhalter Yugoslavia Milko Đurovski
See also List of football clubs in the Netherlands
References
External links
Cambuur Leeuwarden at Weltfussballarchiv