The KNVB Beker, the Dutch domestic cup, guarantees spectacle until the very last stages of the tournament. Every year, amateur teams write new fairytale stories as they knock the big boys off their thrones.
This year, the fairytale storywriting started in the very first match of the opening round, with fourth-tier amateurs Excelsior '31 eliminating Eredivisie side ADO Den Haag on penalties. That's the magic of the cup.
However, even with the KNVB Beker underway, you won't see some of Dutch football's biggest names in the first round. Why is that? Flashscore explains.
Why Ajax, Feyenoord and PSV don't play in the KNVB Beker yet
Every year, the first round of the KNVB Beker is played in October. Which teams play in those first rounds varies from league to league. Amateurs from the third tier, the Tweede Divisie, must all feature in the qualifying rounds. The only exception is for the period champions, who automatically qualify for the main draw.
All 16 professional teams from the second tier, the Keuken Kampioen Divisie, automatically qualify for the KNVB Beker, as well as all 18 Eredivisie teams.
Some teams are exempt from playing in the first round. Since 2019, these are the teams that play in European competitions, such as the UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, and UEFA Conference League. In the 2026/27 season, those teams are PSV, Feyenoord (UCL), AZ, NEC Nijmegen (UEL), Ajax, and FC Twente (UECL).
These six teams will make their first KNVB Beker appearances in the second round, which will be played in early December.