The following article is a summary of the 2021–22 football season in Belgium, which is the 119th season of competitive football in the country and will run from August 2021 until June 2022.
Men's football
League season
Promotion and relegation
The following teams had achieved promotion or suffered relegation going into the 2021–22 season.
Updated to match(es) played on completed. Source: Belgian First Division B Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Matches won; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Away goals scored; 6) Away matches won; 7) Play-off.[6] (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^On 13 April 2022, the Belgian FA announced that Excel Mouscron had not been awarded a Belgian professional football license for the coming season, meaning that the club will not be allowed to play in the top two divisions of Belgian football and thus be relegated to the 2022–23 Belgian National Division 1 instead of Virton.[2] One day later, the committee awarding the licenses announced that the club had also not obtained a Belgian remunerated football license, which meant it will be relegated to the 2022–23 Belgian Division 2, where it will start with a three points handicap. The club has announced that it will appeal the decision, as it has done so successfully already no less than six times during the previous seven years.[3] On 10 May 2022, their appeal was rejected and the club's relegation was confirmed. [4] On 31 May 2022, the club announced it would be filing for bankruptcy, as no party was found willing to take over the club. It is in discussion with the ACFF to possibly continue with a team in the provincial leagues (5th level).[5]
^The match between RWDM and Westerlo of 10 December 2021 was postponed due to excessive snow and instead played on 25 January 2022.[7]
^ abDue to the fact that Excel Mouscron (playing in the 2021–22 Belgian First Division B) was refused a professional football license and was hence directly relegated to the 2022–23 Belgian Division 2, Francs Borains did not have to take part in the final round to avoid relegation but instead kept its spot in the National Division 1. Mandel United instead took their place, thus getting a chance to avoid relegation instead of facing direct relegation as would have been the case for the 14th place finisher.
^Champions Petegem chose not to apply for a license to play in the Belgian National Division 1 and was not eligible for promotion, they also opted not to participate in the Promotion play-offs VFV (which they could despite not being eligible for promotion).
^ abcBoth Brakel, Zelzate and Merelbeke qualified for the Promotion play-offs VFV based on their finishing position (after Petegem dropped out), despite not being eligible for promotion due to not applying for a license for the Belgian National Division 1 level for the coming season
^Zwevezele opted to drop down to the Belgian Provincial Leagues for the coming season.[10]
^Menen will restart at the very bottom level of the Belgian football pyramid.[11]
^Ronse folds as a team, with its matricule being removed from the books. Officially, the club will merge into KVV Ardennen playing in the first provincial division, with the new club name still to be announced.[12]
Updated to match(es) played on completed. Source: vbal4 Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Matches won; 3) Goal difference; 4) Goals scored; 5) Away matches won; 6) Goal difference in away matches; 7) Away goals scored.[14] (C) Champions; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated Notes:
^Cappellen qualified for the Promotion play-offs VFV based on its finishing position, despite not being eligible for promotion due to not applying for a license for the Belgian National Division 1 level for the coming season
^ abMeux and Warnant qualified for the Promotion play-offs ACFF based on its finishing position, despite not being eligible for promotion due to not applying for a license for the Belgian National Division 1 level for the coming season
^Tubize-Braine were deducted 3 points for licence application inconsistencies in their application of two seasons ago
^Rebecq had applied for a license to be eligible for the Belgian National Division 1 for the coming season, but this was refused after the Promotion play-offs ACFF had already started
Champions Club Brugge qualified directly for the group stage of the Champions League, while runners-up Genk started in the qualifying rounds where they lost out, causing them to drop into the Europa League. Third-placed Antwerp also played the Europa League after coming through one qualifying round. Fourth and fifth from the previous season, Anderlecht and Gent respectively, had the change to qualify for the 2021–22 UEFA Europa Conference League, but only Gent succeeded, while Anderlecht were eliminated in the last round of qualifying.
RFS played their home match at Slokas Stadium, Jūrmala, instead of their regular stadium Stadions Arkādija, Riga, which did not meet UEFA requirements.
Raków Częstochowa played their home matches at BBOSiR stadium in Bielsko Biała, instead of their regular stadium Miejski Stadion Piłkarski "Raków", Częstochowa, which did not meet UEFA requirements.
Anorthosis Famagusta play their home matches at GSP Stadium, Nicosia, instead of their regular stadium Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium, Larnaca, which did not meet UEFA requirements.
^Wim De Decker was appointed the new manager of Deinze already on 4 March 2020, but would only be observing and analyzing the players for the remainder of the season. Assistant-manager Cédric Vlaeminck will take up the role of manager until the end of the season, leading the training sessions and being on the sideline during matches.
^Peter van der Veen was initially appointed caretaker manager at Lommel following the departure of Liam Manning, but took over permanently just one week later.
^Luíz Felipe was initially appointed caretaker manager at Lommel following the departure of Peter van der Veen, but was appointed permanent manager one month later.
^Virton was not really promoted but reinstated to the First Division B (from Division 2) following legal proceedings related to the club having had its license removed unjustly two seasons prior to that.
^Club NXT did not suffer relegation but instead moved back to the U21 competition. They had been granted a one season permit to play in the First Division B to fill up the gap as there was one team short during the previous season. With Virton reinstated, Club NXT was deemed surplus again.
^Belhocine and Charleroi announced their separation on 20 April 2021, but Belhocine would remain in charge for the remaining training sessions. Charleroi had no more matches left as it had not qualified for any of the play-offs and hence was in no rush to appoint a new manager.