Deadline passed: Paauw, Van der Laan or Nijland becomes chairman of KNVB | Football

The battle for the presidency seemed to be a battle between four candidates, but Jorien van den Herik decided to withdraw on Friday. The eighty-year-old former chairman of Feyenoord thinks that the position cannot be combined with his other work.

Hans Nijland is another candidate who has managerial experience at a professional football club.

The 63-year-old Nijland was director of FC Groningen from 1996 to 2019. Jeanet van der Laan (44) played 29 international matches for the Dutch national team at the beginning of this century and was a Member of Parliament for D66 from 2021 to 2023. Frank Paauw is police chief in Amsterdam.

One of the three will succeed Just Spee. The 59-year-old Spee announced his retirement in September for health reasons.

The elections will take place on May 27 during the association meeting in Zeist. Thirty representatives from professional football and thirty representatives from amateur football may then cast their votes anonymously.

If one of the candidates immediately obtains an absolute majority (at least half of the valid votes plus one), he or she will be appointed chairman. If that is not the case, a new vote will be held.