December 16 – The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) has confirmed it will stick to its two-track process as it weighs up the long-term future of the KNVB Campus, keeping both the Zeist and Almere regions in play until at least the summer of 2026.
The KNVB Campus is currently based in Zeist, where the association has announced it has agreed a structured follow-up process with the local municipality and the province of Utrecht – focussing on assessing whether further development on the existing site is viable.
Environmental impact, nature protection and spatial planning are all central to those discussions, and form a key part of the new set of milestones drawn up to guide the process, which the KNVB says could eventually lead to a revised zoning plan if the conditions are met.
Running in parallel is an exploration of alternative locations. Following an initial expression of interest from around the country, three locations were taken forward for more detailed discussions: Almere, Barendrecht/Rotterdam and Lelystad.
Those talks, led by consultancy firm Royal HaskoningDHV, reportedly examined potential partnerships, spatial possibilities and financial feasibility.
Based on that, the KNVB has opted for Almere – identified as offering strong potential for a phased development within a new urban district, alongside opportunities for co-development and alignment with top-level sport and talent pathways. Almere’s growth trajectory and central location were also factors in taking the dialogue forward.
Despite the narrowing of the alternative options, the KNVB stressed that no final decision has been taken. Both tracks will remain open until summer 2026, with further research and consultation planned before a long-term direction is set.
The association says the approach is designed to ensure any eventual move – or decision to remain in Zeist – is carefully considered and broadly supported in order to meet its ultimate goal: delivering a modern, future-proof KNVB Campus within the next decade, capable of supporting elite sport, development programmes and the organisation’s wider activities.
The KNVB finished its announcement by thanking all municipalities involved in the process for their engagement, underlining that the next 18 months will be critical in shaping one of the most significant infrastructure decisions in Dutch football.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at [email protected]