Belgian First Division (men's handball)

Belgian First Division (men's handball)
Current season, competition or edition:; 2022–23 Belgian Eerste Klasse
Sport	Handball
No. of teams	12
Country	Belgium
Confederation	EHF
Most recent; champion(s)	HC Achilles Bocholt
Most titles	Initia Hasselt (12 titles)
International cup(s)	Champions League; Cup Winners' Cup; EHF Cup

The Belgian Eerste Klasse (Dutch) or Division 1 (French) is the name of the professional handball league of Belgium.

Competition format

The season begins with a tournament between the six teams who don't participate at the BeNe League. The first two teams join the teams from the BeNe League and they are separated in two play-off groups while the four others teams from the opening tournament participate to the play-down.

2016/17 Season participants

The following 12 clubs compete in the Eerste Klasse during the 2016–17 season.

Team	City	Arena	Notes
Hubo Initia HC Hasselt	Hasselt	Sporthal Alverberg	Club playing in BeNe League
Callant Tongeren	Tongeren	Eburons Dôme Tongeren
Sezoens Achilles Bocholt	Bocholt	Sportcomplex De Damburg
HC Visé BM	Visé	Visé Omnisports Hall
Sporting Neerpelt-Lommel	Neerpelt-Lommel	Sportcentrum Dommelhof
KV Sasja HC	Antwerp	Sportcomplex Sorghvliedt
Olse Merksem HC	Antwerp	Sportcentrum De Rode Loop
EHC Tournai	Tournai	C.E.T Sports Hall
HC Eynatten-Raeren	Raeren	Sporthalle Eynatten
Kreasa HB Houthalen	Houthalen-Helchteren	Sporthal Lakerveld
VOO RHC Grâce-Hollogne	Grâce-Hollogne	Grâce-Hollogne Omnisports Hall
HC Visé BM II	Visé	Visé Omnisports Hall

Eerste Klasse Champions

1958 : Olympic Club Flémallois
1959 : Olympic Club Flémallois (2)
1960 : Olympic Club Flémallois (3)
1961 : Olympic Club Flémallois (4)
1962 : Olympic Club Flémallois (5)
1963 : Olympic Club Flémallois (6)
1964 : Olympic Club Flémallois (7)
1965 : ROC Flémalle (8)
1966 : CH Schaerbeek Brussels
1967 : Progrès HC Seraing
1968 : KV Sasja HC
1969 : ROC Flémalle (9)
1970 : ROC Flémalle (10)
1971 : HC Inter Herstal
1972 : SK Avanti Lebbeke
1973 : SK Avanti Lebbeke (2)

1974 : KV Sasja HC (2)
1975 : KV Sasja HC (3)
1976 : ROC Flémalle (11)
1977 : Progrès HC Seraing (2)
1978 : Sporting Neerpelt
1979 : Yellow Red KV Mechelen
1980 : Sporting Neerpelt (2)
1981 : Sporting Neerpelt (3)
1982 : Sporting Neerpelt (4)
1983 : Sporting Neerpelt (5)
1984 : Initia HC Hasselt
1985 : Initia HC Hasselt (2)
1986 : Initia HC Hasselt (3)
1987 : Sporting Neerpelt (6)
1988 : Sporting Neerpelt (7)
1989 : Sporting Neerpelt (8)

1990 : Sporting Neerpelt (9)
1991 : Handball Club Herstal
1992 : Olse Merksem HC
1993 : Initia HC Hasselt (4)
1994 : Initia HC Hasselt (5)
1995 : Initia HC Hasselt (6)
1996 : Initia HC Hasselt (7)
1997 : Initia HC Hasselt (8)
1998 : Initia HC Hasselt (9)
1999 : Initia HC Hasselt (10)
2000 : Handball Club Eynatten
2001 : Handball Club Eynatten (2)
2002 : Handball Club Eynatten (3)
2003 : HC Elckerlyc Tongeren
2004 : Sporting Neerpelt (10)
2005 : HC Elckerlyc Tongeren (2)

2006 : KV Sasja HC (4)
2007 : KV Sasja HC (5)
2008 : KV Sasja HC (6)
2009 : United HC Tongeren (3)
2010 : United HC Tongeren (4)
2011 : Initia HC Hasselt (11)
2012 : United HC Tongeren (5)
2013 : Initia HC Hasselt (12)
2014 : Initia HC Hasselt (13)
2015 : United HC Tongeren (6)
2016 : HC Achilles Bocholt
2017 : HC Achilles Bocholt (2)
2018 : HC Achilles Bocholt (3)
2021 : HC Visé BM

	Club	Titles	Year
1.	Initia HC Hasselt	13	1984, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2011, 2013, 2014
2.	ROC Flémalle	11	1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1976
3.	Sporting Neerpelt	10	1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 2004
4.	KV Sasja HC	6	1968, 1974, 1975, 2006, 2007, 2008
	Callant Tongeren	6	2003, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2015
6.	HC Eynatten-Raeren	3	2000, 2001, 2002
	HC Achilles Bocholt	3	2016, 2017, 2018
8.	SK Avanti Lebbeke	2	1972, 1973
	Progrès HC Seraing	2	1967, 1977
11.	CH Schaerbeek Brussels	1	1966
	Handball Club Inter Herstal	1	1971
	Yellow Red KV Mechelen	1	1979
	Handball Club Herstal	1	1991
	Olse Merksem HC	1	1992
	HC Visé BM	1	2021

EHF coefficient ranking

For season 2017/2018, see footnote^[1]

19. (27) Extraliga (14.67)
20. (19) Extraliga (11.67)
21. (24) Eerste Klasse (11.25)
21. (22) SM-liiga (11.25)
23. (32) Lotto Eredivisie (10.78)

External links

www.handball.be

References

^ [1] (PDF). European Handball Federation.

[1] [1] (PDF). European Handball Federation.

[1]