CBAS rejects Gent's request for new D1A vote

The Belgian Court of Arbitration for Sport (CBAS) ruled today that La Gantoise's request to schedule a new vote on the D1A competition reform is unfounded, meaning no further vote will be held. The decision ends the club's legal challenge and allows the Pro League to proceed without additional disruption.

La Gantoise has been one of the main opponents of the D1A reform, arguing that the removal of Playoffs and the shift to a purely regular‑season championship were sold as a package together with the end of U23 quotas in D1B, which protected youth teams. With the U23 quota abandoned, the Buffalos contend that the other part of the deal should also be reversed.

From next season onward, Belgian football will move irrevocably to a D1A consisting of 18 clubs, with no Playoffs. This structural change was the core of the reform that La Gantoise opposed.

The club wrote to the Pro League proposing that the current season be treated as a transition year, suggesting a gradual return to a 16‑club D1A and a D1B with 18 (or possibly 20) clubs. The letter outlined several alternative solutions for a progressive restructuring.

In addition to the letter, La Gantoise referred the matter to the Brussels commercial court and subsequently to the CBAS for arbitration. The club sought a new vote that would reconsider the reform without the U23 quota factor.

The CBAS judgment, delivered today, found La Gantoise's request baseless and rejected the idea of a new vote, explicitly ignoring the U23 quota issue. The arbitration panel concluded that the reform should stand as decided.

Consequently, there will be no new vote; the Buffalos have accepted the arbitration decision and will not pursue further legal action. The Pro League can therefore move forward with the planned competition format.

The Pro League is expected to breathe a sigh of relief, as a new vote would have further disrupted the Belgian football summer. The decision clears the way for the upcoming season to commence under the agreed structure.