Derde Divisie
| Country | Netherlands |
|---|---|
| Confederation | UEFA |
| Founded | 2010 as Topklasse |
| Divisions | 2 |
| Number of teams | 36 |
| Level on pyramid | 4 |
| Promotion to | Tweede Divisie |
| Relegation to | Hoofdklasse |
| Domestic cup(s) | KNVB Cup |
| Current champions |
Excelsior Maassluis (2015–16) |
| Most championships | IJsselmeervogels, Achilles '29, Katwijk, Spakenburg, Lienden and Excelsior Maassluis (1 each) |
 2016–17 Derde Divisie
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The Derde Divisie (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈdɛrdə diˈvizi]; English: Third Division), formerly known as Topklasse (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈtɔpklɑsə]; English: Top Class), is the fourth tier of football in the Netherlands, which had its inaugural season as a third tier in 2010–11 and as a fourth tier in 2016–17. The league is placed between the Tweede Divisie and the Hoofdklasse, the third and fifth tiers of Dutch football, respectively. The introduction of the then Topklasse resulted from discussions between the Royal Dutch Football Association, the Coöperatie Eerste Divisie (the clubs in the Eerste Divisie) and the Centraal Overleg Hoofdklassers (the clubs in the Hoofdklasse).
A national football competition in the Netherlands was established in 1956. Prior to that, the districts of the Dutch football association held their own competitions, and the champions of these competitions faced each other for the national title. The highest national division in the new league structure became the Eredivisie, followed by the Eerste Divisie and the Tweede Divisie. The Tweede Divisie was disbanded in 1971; six clubs were promoted to the Eerste Divisie (champions De Volewijckers along with FC Eindhoven, VVV, Fortuna Vlaardingen, PEC and Roda JC), while the remaining ten clubs became amateur clubs. The Eerste Divisie subsequently became the lowest league in professional football in the Netherlands.
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