The Eerste Klasse (English: First Class) is the 5th tier of football in the Netherlands. The league is divided into eleven divisions, five for Saturday clubs and six for Sunday clubs. These divisions correspond to the six districts of the Royal Dutch Football Association: each district organises a Saturday competition and a Sunday competition, except for South II, which only has a Sunday competition.
Each division consists of 14 teams. The champion of the Eerste Klasse divisions are promoted to the Hoofdklasse. Furthermore, a season is divided into 2 periods (Dutch: periodes) of eight matches each. The winners of these periods qualify for promotion playoffs, provided they finish in the top nine overall in the season. The numbers 11 and 12 in the final rankings play relegation playoffs, and the numbers 13 and 14 relegated to the Tweede Klasse.
The 2012–13 Eerste Klasse season is the third edition of the Dutch fifth tier since the Topklasse was formed as the third tier in 2010. A total 84 teams are participating in the league. As usual, the competition is divided into eleven divisions: five divisions play on Saturdays and six divisions play on Sundays, who differ by the day their games are usually played. The champion of each division will be directly promoted to the 2013-14 Hoofdklasse
The 2013–14 Eerste Klasse season is the fourth edition of the Dutch fifth tier since the Topklasse was formed as the third tier in 2010. A total 84 teams are participating in the league. As usual, the competition is divided into eleven divisions: five divisions play on Saturdays and six divisions play on Sundays, who differ by the day their games are usually played. The champion of each division will be directly promoted to the 2014–15 Hoofdklasse.
Updated to games played on 12 May 2013.
Source: Eerste Klasse Zaterdag A
Rules for classification:
1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.