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A Dutch court has rejected an appeal by FC Breda to replay a league game due to the ineligibility of one of the opposing team’s players, preventing a replay of more than 130 matches in the competition.
The Breda side contested the 6-0 defeat by the Go Ahead Eagles on March 15, claiming defender Dean James was ineligible to play after receiving Indonesian citizenship in March 2025 to represent the Asian country at international level.
Dual citizenship is restricted in the Netherlands, meaning players previously registered as Dutch nationals can become non-EU foreign players by changing their citizenship, which would require them to obtain a work permit before resuming their career.
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On Monday, the court in Utrecht confirmed the position of the Dutch Football Association, which refused to agree to the replay of the match.
The Dutch FA claimed that while James was technically ineligible, the club and the authorities were not aware of the implications of changing his nationality.
The federation said that if the decision were in Breda’s favor, more than 200 matches in the top two tiers of Dutch football could be subject to similar legal challenges, including 133 matches in the Dutch Premier League.
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The Dutch Football Association told Reuters. “It’s never nice to be on the court against one of our clubs. The court ruled that the league’s board of directors acted in good faith and in accordance with the applicable rules.”
He added: “Brida raised an important issue that, fortunately, we were able to resolve quickly thanks to a great joint effort. This is important for the present and the future.”
It is noteworthy that a number of legal experts issued a severe warning a few days ago that any decision to cancel or postpone the games could cause unprecedented chaos in the competition.
Breda sit seventeenth in the Dutch Premier League, six points from safety with two matches remaining.
