With only three matchdays remaining in the Eredivisie, 133 matches could have to be replayed due to passport issues affecting dual-nationality players at some clubs. This would pose a real headache for the Dutch Football Association, and the Dutch league season might not be completed.

Will the Dutch league be able to finish? With only three matchdays remaining, panic has gripped Dutch football following a bombshell comment made by a guest on the podcast De Derde Helft. "Well, NAC Breda can still win the match," declared Rogier Jacobs the day after the club's heavy 6-0 defeat against Go Ahead Eagles on March 15, as reported by L'Equipe. This statement did not go unnoticed, as the podcast is very popular in the Netherlands, even being listened to by some players and club officials.

The source of the dispute? Dean James's inclusion in the Go Ahead Eagles' starting lineup. Born in the Netherlands, the player has chosen to represent Indonesia in March 2025. "If you are a Dutch player of Indonesian descent, you can choose to play for Indonesia," he stated, as reported by ESPN. "You will obtain an Indonesian passport, but what many players and clubs don't realize is that, in some cases, you will have to renounce your Dutch citizenship."

A work permit is required to play in the Netherlands.

"If a player renounces his Dutch nationality, he enters a different jurisdiction. In effect, he becomes a foreigner," explained Marjan Olfers, professor of sports law. "Therefore, he must be in possession of a permit to be able to practice his profession here."

However, the 26-year-old player did not have this work permit. Four days after the podcast aired, NAC Breda filed an appeal with the KNVB (Dutch Football Association) regarding his ineligibility. "Jan Willem van Dop, the director of Go Ahead, ushered me out of the gym. He told me that NAC Breda wanted to file a complaint. I had no idea what was going on," Dean James said.

But the story doesn't end there. In total, around 25 players are reportedly involved in this "Paspoort-gate" scandal, including Tjaronn Chery (a Surinamese international playing for NEC Nijmegen). Indeed, in the Eredivisie, several players born in the Netherlands represent other national teams, such as Suriname, Curaçao, Cape Verde, and Indonesia. While Ajax Amsterdam, PSV Eindhoven, and Feyenoord—the three giants of Dutch football—are not implicated in this scandal because they were aware of the regulations, this is not necessarily the case for lower-league teams.

133 Eredivisie matches affected

“We were completely unaware of any of this,” Etienne Vaessen, goalkeeper for FC Groningen and the Surinamese national team, told ESPN. “I would like to regain my Dutch nationality, but I also want to continue playing for beautiful Suriname. A compromise must be found.” Upon returning from the international break, clubs have temporarily placed dual-nationality players on furlough, as their status remains unclear.

While the KNVB and the Eredivisie supervisory board (ECV) rejected NAC Breda's request, the club (currently 17th) appealed. The appeal was heard on Tuesday before a court in Utrecht, which is expected to deliver its verdict on Monday. During the hearing, the Federation's lawyer, Michiel van Dijk, stated that 133 Eredivisie matches would be affected by these disputes.

"If NAC Breda wins its case, the other clubs will also initiate summary proceedings and other legal actions. This could prevent the competition from being completed," said Marianne van Leeuwen, director of professional football at the KNVB. Until then, Dutch football is holding its breath.