During the general professional football meeting - a meeting with all governing bodies in the Dutch professional football sphere - the members voted in favour of rule amendments for regulatory embedding of a professional football organisation which exclusively competes in women's football.
The amendment will allow women-only football clubs to be formed and enter the Women's Eredivisie. The Netherlands' first women-only professional football club, HERA United, was founded in 2023 to pioneer this area.
'Let's celebrate'
The Amsterdam club responded proudly to the news.
"Today is a great day for women's football," the club said on its website. "We can continue our path to becoming an independent professional football club for women in the Netherlands as HERA United.
"So let's celebrate. Big time. Our HERA's. Our over 100 football talents. Everyone who supports us. And, of course, women's football."
The club, who will use the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium as their home base, aim to partake in next year's Women's Eredivisie on Telstar's professional licence. The two clubs announced a collaboration in April 2024.
'Must be able to grow independently'
HERA founder Marieke Visser joined her club in the festive mood. "We'll definitely pop the champagne," she told NOS.
"Over the past six months, we have worked hard on a rule change. We could become the very first female professional football club, so an important hurdle has been cleared."
Visser emphasised the importance of women's football clubs to be able to survive on their own. "Women's football benefits from autonomy. It must be able to grow independently, separate from the men's branch."
Women's football is the fastest-growing sport in the Netherlands with about 176,000 female members of the KNVB registered in November 2024 - 40,000 more than in December 2022.
Visser and HERA United will now enter the official licencing process with the KNVB's independent committee. Visser is hopeful about obtaining Telstar's licence and start the season as HERA United.
"I already came up with the plans in October 2023, so we've had some time to prepare for them."
Once the licence has been secured and everything is officialised, the club's investors will start injecting money into it and the club will be able to invest in new players.
'Proud and powerful'
HERA United concluded their statement with a message of hope.
"As of today, we are heading straight for our goal. And that is to bring women's football where it belongs. In the spotlight. And nowhere else.
"Proud and powerful. Brave and bold. Forward and united."