The following article is a summary of the 2018–19 football season in Belgium, which is the 116th season of competitive football in the country and runs from July 2018 until June 2019.
National teams
Belgium national football team
Following the success at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Belgium was expected to perform well in the inaugural UEFA Nations League competition but collapsed in their final match against Switzerland, losing 5–2 despite a 0–2 lead, to miss out on the Nations League Finals. The UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying Group I campaign was however started with four straight wins.
2018–19 UEFA Nations League A
Group 3
UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying
Friendlies
Men's football League season Promotion and relegation The following teams had achieved promotion or suffered relegation going into the 2018–19 season. LeaguePromoted to leagueRelegated from leagueFirst Division A Cercle Brugge KV MechelenFirst Division B Lommel SKnone (due to bankruptcy of Lierse)First Division Amateur Division RFC Liège Rupel Boom RWDM47 Tessenderlo Berchem Sport Hamme Patro Eisden MaasmechelenSecond Division Amateur Division Couvin-Mariembourg Diegem Dikkelvenne Eppegem Francs Borains Heur-Tongeren La Louvière Menen Tilleur Visé Bornem La Calamine Pepingen-Halle Sint-Lenaarts Sprimont Comblain Tienen Torhout WS Brussels Zwarte LeeuwThird Division Amateur Division Betekom Condruzien CS Braine Fosses Jette Lyra-Lierse Berlaar Helson Helchteren Meix-Dt-Virton Oostkamp Oppagne-Wéris Ostiches-Ath Racing Mechelen Stockel Symphorinois Warnant Zelzate Zwevezele Bertrix Cointe-Liège Diest Grimbergen Habay Herentals Hoeilaart Mariekerke Ninove Solre Spy Sterrebeek Vlamertinge Waterloo
Belgian First Division A
Regular season
Championship play-offs
Belgian First Division B
Belgian First Amateur Division
Belgian Second Amateur Division
Division A
Division B
Division C
Belgian Third Amateur Division
Division A
Division B
Division C
Division D
Cup competitions CompetitionWinnerScoreRunner-up2018–19 Belgian CupMechelen2–1Gent2018 Belgian Super CupClub Brugge2–1Standard Liège
Transfers
UEFA competitions Champions Club Brugge qualified directly for the group stage of the Champions League, while runners-up Standard Liège started in the qualifying rounds. As Standard Liège also had won the Belgian Cup, third placed Anderlecht qualified directly for the group stage of the Europa League, while Gent and Genk started in the qualifying rounds.
DateTeamCompetitionRoundLegOpponentLocationScoreBelgian Team Goalscorers26 July 2018GenkEuropa LeagueQual. Round 2Leg 1, Home Fola EschLuminus Arena, GenkMalinovskyi, Pozuelo, Trossard (2), Dewaest1 August 2018GenkEuropa LeagueQual. Round 2Leg 2, Away Fola EschStade Émile Mayrisch, Esch-sur-AlzetteZhegrova (2), Heynen, Gano7 August 2018Standard LiègeChampions LeagueQual. Round 3Leg 1, Home AjaxStade Maurice Dufrasne, Liège2–2Carcela, Emond9 August 2018GenkEuropa LeagueQual. Round 3Leg 1, Home Lech PoznańLuminus Arena, GenkMalinovskyi, Samatta9 August 2018GentEuropa LeagueQual. Round 3Leg 1, Away Jagiellonia BiałystokBiałystok City Stadium, BiałystokDavid14 August 2018Standard LiègeChampions LeagueQual. Round 3Leg 2, Away AjaxJohan Cruijff Arena, Amsterdam16 August 2018GenkEuropa LeagueQual. Round 3Leg 2, Away Lech PoznańStadion Miejski, PoznańSamatta, Trossard16 August 2018GentEuropa LeagueQual. Round 3Leg 2, Home Jagiellonia BiałystokGhelamco Arena, GhentAwoniyi, Yaremchuk, David23 August 2018GenkEuropa LeaguePlay-off roundLeg 1, Home BrøndbyLuminus Arena, GenkSamatta (3), Trossard (2)23 August 2018GentEuropa LeaguePlay-off roundLeg 1, Home BordeauxGhelamco Arena, Ghent0–030 August 2018GenkEuropa LeaguePlay-off roundLeg 2, Away BrøndbyBrøndby Stadium, BrøndbyvesterMalinovskyi, Ndongala, Dewaest, Samatta30 August 2018GentEuropa LeaguePlay-off roundLeg 2, Away BordeauxNouveau Stade de Bordeaux, Bordeaux18 September 2018Club BruggeChampions LeagueGroup StageMatchday 1, Home Borussia DortmundJan Breydel Stadium, Bruges20 September 2018AnderlechtEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 1, Away Spartak TrnavaŠtadión Antona Malatinského, Trnava20 September 2018GenkEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 1, Home MalmöLuminus Arena, GenkTrossard, Samatta20 September 2018Standard LiègeEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 1, Away SevillaRamón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium, SevilleDjenepo3 October 2018Club BruggeChampions LeagueGroup StageMatchday 2, Away Atlético MadridWanda Metropolitano, MadridGroeneveld4 October 2018AnderlechtEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 2, Home Dinamo ZagrebConstant Vanden Stock Stadium, Anderlecht4 October 2018GenkEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 2, Away Sarpsborg 08Sarpsborg Stadion, SarpsborgTrossard4 October 2018Standard LiègeEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 2, Home AkhisarsporStade Maurice Dufrasne, LiègeEmond, Djenepo24 October 2018Club BruggeChampions LeagueGroup StageMatchday 3, Home MonacoJan Breydel Stadium, Bruges1–1Wesley25 October 2018AnderlechtEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 3, Home FenerbahçeConstant Vanden Stock Stadium, Anderlecht2–2Bakkali (2)25 October 2018GenkEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 3, Away BeşiktaşVodafone Park, IstanbulSamatta (2), Ndongala, Piotrowski25 October 2018Standard LiègeEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 3, Home KrasnodarStade Maurice Dufrasne, LiègeEmond, Laifis6 November 2018Club BruggeChampions LeagueGroup StageMatchday 4, Away MonacoStade Louis II, MonacoVanaken (2), Wesley, Vormer8 November 2018AnderlechtEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 4, Away FenerbahçeŞükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, Istanbul8 November 2018GenkEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 4, Home BeşiktaşLuminus Arena, Genk1–1Berge8 November 2018Standard LiègeEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 4, Away KrasnodarKrasnodar Stadium, KrasnodarCarcela28 November 2018Club BruggeChampions LeagueGroup StageMatchday 5, Away Borussia DortmundWestfalenstadion, Dortmund0–029 November 2018AnderlechtEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 5, Home Spartak TrnavaConstant Vanden Stock Stadium, Anderlecht0–029 November 2018GenkEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 5, Away MalmöStadion, Malmö2–2Pozuelo, Paintsil29 November 2018Standard LiègeEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 5, Home SevillaStade Maurice Dufrasne, LiègeDjenepo11 December 2018Club BruggeChampions LeagueGroup StageMatchday 6, Home Atlético MadridJan Breydel Stadium, Bruges0–013 December 2018AnderlechtEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 6, Away Dinamo ZagrebStadion Maksimir, Zagreb0–013 December 2018GenkEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 6, Home Sarpsborg 08Luminus Arena, GenkGano, Paintsil, Berge, Aidoo13 December 2018Standard LiègeEuropa LeagueGroup StageMatchday 6, Away AkhisarsporSpor Toto Akhisar Stadium, Akhisar0–014 February 2019Club BruggeEuropa LeagueRound of 32Leg 1, Home Red Bull SalzburgJan Breydel Stadium, BrugesDenswil, Wesley14 February 2019GenkEuropa LeagueRound of 32Leg 1, Away Slavia PragueSinobo Stadium, Prague0–021 February 2019Club BruggeEuropa LeagueRound of 32Leg 2, Away Red Bull SalzburgRed Bull Arena, Salzburg21 February 2019GenkEuropa LeagueRound of 32Leg 2, Home Slavia PragueLuminus Arena, GenkTrossard
European qualification for 2019–20 summary CompetitionQualifiersReason for QualificationUEFA Champions League Group StageGenk1st in Belgian First Division AUEFA Champions League Third Qualifying Round for Non-ChampionsClub Brugge2nd in Belgian First Division AUEFA Europa League Group StageStandard Liège3rd in Belgian First Division AUEFA Europa League Third Qualifying RoundAntwerpEuropa League Playoff winnerUEFA Europa League Second Qualifying RoundGent5th in Belgian First Division A
Managerial changes This is a list of changes of managers within Belgian professional league football (Belgian First Division A and Belgian First Division B):
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position Replaced by Date of appointment Oostende Adnan ČustovićReplaced End of 2017–18 season Pre-season Gert Verheyen 25 April 2018 Sint-Truiden Jonas De Roeck End of 2017–18 season Marc Brys 21 May 2018 Standard Liège Ricardo Sá Pinto Resigned End of 2017–18 season Michel Preud'homme 23 May 2018 Union SG Marc Grosjean Mutual consent End of 2017–18 season Luka Elsner 23 May 2018 Beerschot Wilrijk Marc Brys Signed by Sint-Truiden End of 2017–18 season Stijn Vreven 25 May 2018 Cercle Brugge Franky Vercauteren Mutual consent End of 2017–18 season Laurent Guyot 6 June 2018 Waasland-Beveren Dirk Geeraerd Caretaker replaced End of 2017–18 season Yannick Ferrera 8 June 2018 Mechelen Dennis van Wijk Sacked 20 August 2018 7th Wouter Vrancken 21 August 2018 Excel Mouscron Frank Defays 30 August 2018 16th Bernd Storck 2 September 2018 Gent Yves Vanderhaeghe 8 October 2018 7th Jess Thorup 10 October 2018 Lokeren Peter Maes 27 October 2018 15th Arnar Viðarsson (caretaker) 27 October 2018 Lokeren Arnar Viðarsson (caretaker) Caretaker replaced 2 November 2018 16th Trond Sollied 2 November 2018 Roeselare Jordi CondomSacked 10 November 2018 7th Nano 12 November 2018 Waasland-Beveren Yannick Ferrera 11 November 2018 14th Adnan Čustović 17 November 2018 Kortrijk Glen De Boeck 15 November 2018 12th Yves Vanderhaeghe 15 November 2018 Anderlecht Hein Vanhaezebrouck 16 December 2018 4th Karim Belhocine (caretaker) 16 December 2018 Anderlecht Karim Belhocine (caretaker) Caretaker replaced 6 January 2019 5th Fred Rutten 6 January 2019 Roeselare Nano Release fee paid by Shanghai Greenland Shenhua 8 January 2019 Closing tournament: 4thOverall: 6th Juanito 11 January 2019 Lokeren Trond Sollied Sacked 20 January 2019 16th Glen De Boeck 20 January 2019 OH Leuven Nigel Pearson Sacked 3 February 2019 Closing tournament: 7thOverall: 8th Vincent Euvrard 8 February 2019 Oostende Gert Verheyen Resigned 6 March 2019 14th Hugo Broos (caretaker) 6 March 2019 Anderlecht Fred Rutten Mutual consent 16 April 2019 Regular season: 4thChampionship POs: 5th Karim Belhocine (caretaker) 16 April 2019 Oostende Hugo Broos (caretaker) Resigned 29 April 2019 Regular season: 14thEuropa League POs: 4th Franky Van der Elst (caretaker) 29 April 2019 Cercle Brugge Laurent Guyot Mutual consent 2 May 2019 Regular season: 13thEuropa League POs: 4th José Jeunechamps (caretaker) 2 May 2019
Notes
See also 2018–19 Belgian First Division A 2018–19 Belgian First Division B 2018–19 Belgian First Amateur Division 2018–19 Belgian Second Amateur Division 2018–19 Belgian Third Amateur Division 2018–19 Belgian Cup 2018 Belgian Super Cup
References