Relief for Vitesse as top legal advisor supports license restoration

The advocate general has advised that Vitesse Arnhem should be allowed to keep its professional license, following a ruling by the Arnhem Court of Appeal that reinstated it. The Supreme Court of the Netherlands will issue a final decision based on this recommendation.

The Dutch Football Association, KNVB, took away Vitesse’s professional license in 2025 because the club hadn’t followed the financial rules for years. The club was said to have “worked around and undermined” the system.

On September 3 last year, the Arnhem Court of Appeal said the move to push Vitesse out of professional football wasn’t legally solid. After studying the verdict, the KNVB chose in late October to take the case to the Supreme Court, saying it was for the good of the sport.

The advocate general says the KNVB’s case doesn’t hold up. In his opinion, the Arnhem Court of Appeal handled things properly when reviewing earlier decisions. He’s advising the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeal, which would leave the earlier ruling in place.

The Supreme Court often follows the advocate general’s advice when making its decision. The KNVB and Vitesse now have two weeks to submit their reactions. After that, the court will consider everything and rule on the case. It may still take weeks before there is any final clarity about Vitesse’s future in professional football.

Vitesse said it is pleased with the Advocate General’s opinion. Claudia Lap, chair of the supervisory board, said in a statement that the club sees it as an important signal and will keep working just as hard to secure its future.

The Supreme Court is currently awaiting reactions from the KNVB and Vitesse to the advice and will make a decision shortly afterwards.

“This case still has no winners; time is and remains our enemy,” Lap continues. “Ultimately, it’s not about playing temporarily, but about playing permanently. For that, we need approval for a change of control and a license. We have been in intensive talks with the KNVB and the licensing committee for months about both issues. Those talks are now in the final stage. We hope this will be concluded quickly, because we need every week in preparation for the new season.”

The KNVB announced it will take time to carefully examine the Advocate General’s opinion.

Arnhem mayor Ahmed Marcouch has called the advocate general’s advice “a victory.” Speaking to ANP, he said the opinion effectively supports the club’s position.

Marcouch said the advocate general’s opinion is very significant for both Vitesse and Arnhem. “Of course, a ruling still has to be made, but there is hope again. There is solid ground under our feet again. This club has existed for more than 130 years and belongs in Arnhem. I call on the KNVB to now look at the future in a constructive way,” said the mayor.

Marcouch said that tension has been noticeable in the city again in recent days. “You can feel the stress among people. It’s another hurdle we all have to get through together,” the mayor said. “It’s good to see that the court in Arnhem acted carefully. This advice is also good for those people. They have taken a lot of criticism. It’s good for the whole community if Vitesse keeps its professional license.”

The supporters’ association of Vitesse reacted with relief on Friday to the news. “When the court of appeal ruled in September that Vitesse had to get its professional license back, we already felt it had been decided carefully. That’s why confidence was high now as well. But it remains exciting; we’ve already experienced so many strange situations in this saga,” said Susanne Wichhart, chair of the supporters’ association.

Wichhart received many reactions on Friday. “I only see happy people in the app. This is a very positive boost,” she said. Still, there are also concerns about the club’s future. The licensing committee has still not approved the takeover of Vitesse by a group of regional entrepreneurs. Five major foreign shareholders still own the club. “I would say: step forward, so the shares can be transferred and we can move on,” said Wichhart.