Stadion de Koel

The only professional football club in North Limburg is VVV-Venlo. The club was founded in 1903 and was one of the pioneers of professional football in the Netherlands. It won the KNVB Cup in 1959.

VVV-Venlo plays its matches in one of the most striking stadiums in the Netherlands: De Koel. The name derives from the stadium’s location, which is, as it were, in a hollow. The staircase leading players from the changing rooms to the pitch is legendary. The players must first walk down the longest football staircase in Europe to reach the pitch.

Well-known former VVV-Venlo players include Dick Advocaat, Ger van Rosmalen, Faas Wilkes, Maurice Graef, Tijani Babangida, Stan Valckx, Keisuke Honda and Ahmed Musa. The greatest former VVV-Venlo player is Jan Klaassens, a native of Venlo who, in addition to over 500 appearances for VVV, also played 200 matches for Feyenoord. He captained the Dutch national team during the era of Faas Wilkes and Abe Lenstra and played no fewer than 57 international matches.

VVV-Venlo’s best result in the Eredivisie was third place in 1961. In the 1980s, the Venlo side finished fifth in the top flight on two occasions. VVV-Venlo have been First Division champions three times, most recently in 2017. VVV-Venlo currently play in the Eredivisie, the top tier of Dutch football.

A VVV-Venlo match at Stadion de Koel is always a great experience thanks to the superb atmosphere.