The Belgian Second Division, also known as EXQI League (it is sponsored by commercial broadcaster Euro1080, who have a culture channel called EXQI), is the second-highest division in Belgian football. It was created in 1905.

The competition

The season comprises the regular season (18 teams, 34 matchdays) and the play-offs (4 teams, 6 matchdays: see Belgian Second Division Final Round).

The regular season is a double round-robin tournament played between August and May, with an interruption of 3 weeks in the winter. It is divided into three blocks: the first 10 rounds of matches, the next 12, and the final 12. The winner of the overall regular season is promoted to the first division. The teams with the best record in each of the 3 blocks go into the play-offs, together with the second-last team in the first division. The play-offs are also a double round-robin, with the winner earning a place in the first division.

The standings, for both the regular season and the 3 blocks, are determined by the following criteria, in order:

1. number of points;
2. number of wins;
3. goal average;
4. a play-off at a neutral venue (with extra time and penalty shootout if necessary)

A team cannot play in the first division unless it has a professional license. If it does not have its license, it is replaced if possible, by the next highest team in the overall regular seaon rankings. For the automatic promotion spot (as opposed to the play-offs) the team must have finished in the top three clubs. When no team meets those conditions, the number of teams in the first division decreases.

The two lowest-placed teams go to the third division (which is divided into 2 leagues of 16 clubs), while the two champions of that division are promoted to the second division. Furthermore, the 16th-placed team plays the third division playoff with 6 teams from the third division but it enters the competition on its second round. The winner of this playoff stays or promotes to second division.

History

The second division was created in 1905 as the Promotion. From 1923 on there were two leagues in that division (called Promotion A and Promotion B). In 1926, the system changed with only one league (14 clubs) at the second-highest level now called Division I. At the end of the 1930-31 season, the Division I was split into two leagues (of 14 clubs each). The last two teams of each league were relegated and the two top clubs promoted each year to the Premier Division. In 1952, the division was renamed to Division II with 16 teams (one league). The first two clubs qualified for the first division. In 1974, the first final round was played to access the top level. Finally, in 1994, the second division was played between 18 clubs. A win earns three points since the 1993-94 season.

The 2008-09 clubs

The 19 participating clubs for the 2008-09 season are the following:

Club name	City	Last season position
Royal Antwerp FC	Antwerp	5th
K.S.K. Beveren	Beveren	9th
R.O.C. de Charleroi-Marchienne	Charleroi	11th
K.M.S.K. Deinze	Deinze	15th
K.A.S. Eupen	Eupen	13th
K.F.C. V.W. Hamme	Hamme	8th
Oud-Heverlee Leuven	Leuven	3rd
R.F.C. de Liège	Liège	1st (in the Belgian Third Division B)
K. Lierse S.K.	Lier	7th
K.V.S.K. United Overpelt-Lommel	Lommel	4th
UR Namur	Namur	17th
K.V. Oostende	Ostend	16th
K.S.K. Ronse	Ronse	1st (in the Belgian Third Division A)
FC Molenbeek Brussels Strombeek	Sint-Jans-Molenbeek	18th (in the Belgian First Division)
K.V. Red Star Waasland	Sint-Niklaas	14th
K. Sint-Truidense V.V.	Sint-Truiden	17th (in the Belgian First Division)
K.V.K. Tienen	Tienen	10th
R.F.C. Tournai	Tournai	12th
R.E. Virton	Virton	6th

Past winners

Season Champion Runner Up 1906 Union Saint-Gilloise (II) S.C. Courtraisien 1907 Beerschot A.C. Atheneum VV Stockel 1908 R.C. de Gand E.S.C. Forest 1909 Standard F.C. Liégeois Daring Club de Bruxelles (II) 1910 R.C. de Malines AA La Gantoise 1911 Uccle Sport R.C. de Gand 1912 F.C. Liégeois CS Verviétois 1913 A.A. La Gantoise Leopold Club de Bruxelles 1914 Uccle Sport RC Malinois 1915-19 No competition 1920 Tilleur F.C. Standard C.L. 1921 Standard C.L. FC Malinois 1922 Uccle Sport Berchem Sport 1923 R.F.C. Liégeois RC Gand Season A Champion B Champion 1924 S.C. Anderlechtois White Star A.C. 1925 R. Tilleur F.C. C.S. Verviétois 1926 R.C. de Bruxelles F.C. Malinois Season Champion Runner Up 1927 R. Liersche S.K. SC Anderlechtois 1928 F.C. Malinois Tilleur FC 1929 F.C. Brugeois SC Anderlechtois 1930 R.C. Montegnée Tubantia AC 1931 R.R.C. Gand FC Turnhout Season A Champion B Champion 1932 T.S.V. Lyra R. Racing Club de Bruxelles 1933 Belgica F.C. Edegem R. Tilleur F.C. 1934 White Star A.C. R. Berchem Sport 1935 R.F.C. Brugeois R.S.C. Anderlechtois 1936 F.C. Turnhout A.R.A. La Gantoise 1937 R.C. Tirlemont O.C. Charleroi 1938 Boom F.C. R.C.S. Brugeois 1939 S.C. Eendracht Aalst R. Tilleur F.C. 1940-41 No competition 1942 C.S. La Forestoise R.C. de Bruxelles 1943 K. Lyra R. Berchem Sport 1944 K. Sint-Niklaasche S.K. R.F.C. Liégeois 1945 No competition 1946 R.F.C. Brugeois K. Lyra 1947 R. Uccle Sport R. Charleroi S.C. 1948 K.R.C. Mechelen R. Tilleur F.C. 1949 K. Stade Leuven R.F.C. Brugeois 1950 Daring Club de Bruxelles S.R. R. Beeringen F.C. 1951 R. Union Saint-Gilloise R.U.S. Tournaisienne 1952 R.C. de Gand F.C. Beringen Season Champion Runner Up 1953 K. Lyra K.Lierse SK 1954 K.S.V. Waterschei Thor R. Racing Club de Bruxelles 1955 R. Daring Club de Bruxelles K.Beeringen FC 1956 R.C.S. Verviétois ROC Charleroi 1957 K.S.V. Waterschei Thor K.St.-Truidense VV 1958 K. Beringen F.C. RRC Tournaissien 1959 R. Daring Club de Bruxelles RFC Brugeois 1960 K.S.C. Eendracht Aalst Patro Eisden 1961 K.F.C. Diest RCS Brugeois 1962 R. Berchem Sport Beeringen FC 1963 R.F.C. Malinois K.Waterschei SV Thor Genk 1964 R. Union Saint-Gilloise R. Tilleur FC 1965 R. Racing White RFC Malinois 1966 K.S.V. Waregem R. Charleroi SC 1967 S.K. Beveren ROC Charleroi 1968 A.R.A. La Gantoise Union St.-Gilloise 1969 A.S. Oostende K.M. R. Crossing Cl. Molenbeek 1970 K.F.C. Diest R. Antwerp FC 1971 K.S.V. Cercle Brugge KV Mechelen 1972 K. Berchem Sport R. Beringen FC 1973 S.K. Beveren SV Waregem 1974 R.O.C. Montignies-sur-Sambre AS Oostende 1975 K.R.C. Mechelen K.Boom FC 1976 K.F.C. Winterslag KFC Diest 1977 K. Boom F.C. Patro Eisden 1978 K.S.V. Waterschei Thor K.Berchem Sport 1979 K.S.V. Cercle Brugge SK Tongeren 1980 K.A.A. Gent KV Kortrijk 1981 K.S.K. Tongeren RFC Sérésien 1982 R.F.C. Sérésien K.Beerschot VAV 1983 K.V. Mechelen K.St.-Niklase SK 1984 K. Sint-Niklase S.K. KSC Hasselt 1985 R.W.D. Molenbeek KRC Mechelen 1986 K. Berchem Sport Racing Jet de Bruxelles 1987 K. Sint-Truidense V.V. KFC Winterslag 1988 K.R.C. Mechelen KSC Eendracht Aalst 1989 K.F.C. Germinal Ekeren RFC Sérésien 1990 R.W.D. Molenbeek K.Boom FC 1991 K.S.K. Beveren K.St.-Niklase SK Excelsior 1992 K.F.C. Lommelse S.K. KFC Turnhout 1993 R.F.C. Sérésien K.Beerschot VAC 1994 K. Sint-Truidense V.V. R. Excelsior Mouscron 1995 K.S.V. Waregem K.Beerschot VAC 1996 K.S.C. Lokeren KRC Genk 1997 K.S.K. Beveren VC Westerlo 1998 K.V. Oostende KV Kortrijk 1999 K.V. Mechelen R. Antwerp FC 2000 R. Antwerp F.C. KV Oostende 2001 K.F.C. Lommelse S.K. KFC Turnhout 2002 K.V. Mechelen KSV Ingelmunster 2003 K.S.V. Cercle Brugge KAS Eupen 2004 F.C. Molenbeek Brussels Strombeek KV Oostende 2005 S.V. Zulte-Waregem KSV Roeselare 2006 R.A.E.C. Mons KVSK United (Overpelt-Lommel) 2007 F.C. Verbroedering Dender E.H. KV Mechelen 2008 KV Kortrijk A.F.C. Tubize

References

• The Belgian Football Association official website
• Sport.be website - Standings, features, results, statistitcs and news from the second division
• RSSSF archive - Second division tables from 1910 to 2002
• Tweedeklasse.be - All info about the Belgian 2nd division