History of the Club

In the Spring of 1892, a student-formed football club with a French name was founded in the Dutch city of Arnhem. Being the second oldest football club in the Netherlands, Vitesse has a rich history that did not necessarily translate to title wins. Still many decades before turning professional, they finished several times in second place in the Dutch National Championship (the predecessor of the Eredivisie, which only began in 1956), won one second tier title, one third tier title, one KNVB cup, and one Dutch super cup (the Johan Cruyff Shield). Vitesse also faced serious adversities, such as having their stadium destroyed during the second World War.

Vitesse survived and, after turning professional in the late 1940s, the club managed to finally join the Eredivisie in 1971. Even though they were very far from the top level football practiced in the country at the time, Vitesse would quickly became a consistent top-tier team, eventually achieving their highest finish (3rd place) in 1997/98.

They have participated in European competitions several times, including the UEFA Cup/Europa League and the, very recently created, UEFA Europa Conference League.

Decline

Vitesse’s decline began with the controversial entry into the club of Georgian-Russian investors, starting with Merab Jordania in 2010. Allegations surfaced that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich secretly funded the club, influencing operations—claims the KNVB investigated but couldn’t substantiate. Financial mismanagement escalated under subsequent Russian owners, leading to massive debt (18.9 million € by 2024).

During this time, KNVB revoked Vitesse’s professional license (reinstating it later, after some compliance from the club) in 2024 due to financial irregularities, and later attributed point deductions (totaling 27 points in 2024/25). Local investors attempted to rescue Vitesse, however, this time the help arrived too late. Yesterday, August 8, 2025, a court upheld the KNVB’s decision, ending Vitesse’s 77-year professional status.

So, Vitesse is no longer a professional club – what now?

The club’s future is uncertain. They must resolve its 19 million € debt and restructure under amateur or lower-tier leagues. Regaining professional status will require years of financial transparency and stable ownership and the KNVB’s strict stance suggests Vitesse won’t return soon, leaving Arnhem without top-flight football for the first time since World War II.

No club has been selected to occupy the spot left vacant by Vitesse. The Eerste Divisie (second tier of Dutch football), which has started yesterday, will proceed without Vitesse having played a single game, and will function as a 19-team league.

Just like in my post talking about Boavista’s financial situation, we still do not have news on whether Vitesse and Boavista (the actual club, not not Boavista SAD) will be able to register in an amateur league and continue to provide their supporters with continue to provide their supporters with the pride, passion, and sense of belonging that only their club can give.

Historical archives

Vitesse Arnhem: history and documentaries
WebSportsArchive Full media library of football documentaries
Vitesse’s last participation in Europe

Sources:
1. Groundhopper Soccer Guides. Groundhopper Guide to Vitesse. URL.
2. Eredivisie.eu. We will miss this about Vitesse. URL.
3. Tribal Football. A timeline of Vitesse’s demise: From Russian oligarchs to death sentence. URL.
4. Mais Futebol. Vitesse perde recurso e cai dos campeonatos profissionais. URL.