The Eerste Divisie Matchweek 11 programme runs from Friday 16 October to Monday 19 October 2026, featuring ten fixtures across four days of action. With league leaders Heracles defending their lead at the top of the table and Almere City FC in close pursuit, the weekend schedule tests sides battling for position across the division. Published forecasts currently cover the opening Friday fixtures, while our remaining calls appear on each match page the day before kickoff.
Standout fixture: Helmond Sport vs NAC Breda
NAC Breda travel to Helmond Sport as one of the form attacking units in the division. Sitting fifth with 17 points from 10 games, NAC have produced eleven goals across their last five outings and out-shoot their opponents consistently. Charles-Andreas Brym leads their scoring with five goals, and the visiting side have won two of their last three fixtures, including a 1-0 win over MVV.
Helmond Sport sit 17th in the standings with nine points and remain fragile at the back, having conceded in every league match this season. While they have collected three draws from five home matches, they suffered a 3-1 defeat at TOP Oss in their previous match. Our forecasting model holds firm confidence in a NAC Breda win, expecting an open contest that delivers more than 2.5 goals. On a more speculative note, the model offers a low-confidence call of a 2-1 away win.
Friday
Den Bosch meet TOP Oss in a mid-table encounter with the clubs separated by just one point. Den Bosch, 14th with 11 points, have found the net in every home match this season, while Sebastian Karlsson Grach leads their attack with four goals. TOP Oss sit 13th and enter off consecutive home wins over MVV and Helmond Sport, where Mauresmo Hinoke scored to bring his tally to five, yet they have suffered defeat in all five away fixtures this season. The model leans towards a Den Bosch win and projects more than 2.5 total goals.
FC Eindhoven host Vitesse looking to steady a defensive record that has seen them concede 22 goals in 10 matches, having kept only two clean sheets all season. The hosts sit 15th following a 3-0 defeat at Almere City FC. Vitesse occupy 10th spot with Naoufal Bannis already on nine goals in all competitions. Our model expects a Vitesse win, also projecting both teams to score.
Third-placed VVV Venlo welcome 11th-placed Jong AZ on Friday evening. VVV enter with 21 points, having scored 13 goals in their last five games and winning 3-0 away at Jong Ajax last time out. Jong AZ have gone ten matches without a clean sheet, though Bendegúz Kovács has struck four goals for a reserve side that scores reliably away from home. Our model leans towards a narrow home win for VVV Venlo, alongside high confidence that both teams will score.
Saturday
Saturday's sole match pits fourth-placed Emmen against second-placed Almere City FC. Emmen arrive on 19 points after an unbeaten three-match run that included a 3-0 win away at Dordrecht, with Freddy Quispel scoring seven goals this season. Almere City FC have won back-to-back games without conceding, though they travel without the injured Mees Hoedemakers while forward Ferdy Druijf looks to add to his six goals.
Sunday
Sunday begins with ninth-placed Waalwijk hosting eighth-placed FC Volendam. Waalwijk lost 3-0 at Heracles in their last fixture, leaving Jesse van de Haar on three goals. FC Volendam defeated Vitesse 2-0 last time out, powered by Henk Veerman, who leads the division's scoring charts with 10 goals in all competitions.
Later on Sunday, league leaders Heracles travel to seventh-placed MVV. Heracles hold top spot with 25 points and 31 goals scored, led by Tristan van Gilst with seven goals, though goalkeeper Fabian de Keijzer remains sidelined through injury. MVV seek stability following consecutive defeats against TOP Oss and NAC Breda, relying on top scorer Olivier Dumont.
Monday
Monday features three fixtures involving reserve teams. Eighteenth-placed Jong Ajax host 16th-placed De Graafschap; the hosts were beaten 3-0 by VVV Venlo in their last match, while the visitors arrive on a three-match unbeaten run led by Julian Kania. Twelfth-placed Jong PSV U21, led in attack by Austyn Jones, take on 19th-placed Dordrecht, who have conceded 27 goals in 10 games. Bottom-placed Jong Utrecht, with Emmanuel Owen on five goals, host sixth-placed Roda, who boast the league's stingiest defence with only eight goals conceded.
Table implications
With only six points separating Heracles from fourth-placed Emmen, this round could shuffle the promotion picture. An away win for Almere City FC coupled with a slip from Heracles at MVV would change leadership at the summit, while NAC Breda and VVV Venlo have opportunities to strengthen their positions near the top.
