Excelsior Rotterdam and AZ Alkmaar in focus of the 23rd round
Saturday evening in Rotterdam brings a clash that on paper joins two different stories of the same season, but on the field often creates a match full of nerve and rhythm: Excelsior Rotterdam welcomes AZ Alkmaar in the 23rd round of the 2025/2026 Eredivisie. The match is played on 14.02.2026 at 18:45 at Stadium Woudestein, at the address Honingerdijk, Rotterdam, and the very fact that it is played at one of the smallest top-flight stadiums in the country raises the impression of urgency and atmosphere. In such an environment, tickets have extra weight because the proximity to the pitch, short stands, and density of cheering turn every action into a shared experience, so interest in tickets naturally intensifies as the match day approaches. Excelsior needs points for a calmer continuation of the championship, while AZ is looking for continuity and catching positions that lead toward the upper part of the table, and such a combination of motives usually creates a match that is not played by waiting. Tickets for this encounter are disappearing quickly, so buy tickets on time and click the button to secure your place in the stands.
Standings and point context before heading to Woudestein
At the time of writing, 24.01.2026, the Eredivisie table clearly shows why this match carries multiple layers of pressure, especially for the host who is in a sensitive zone. AZ Alkmaar is seventh with 29 points after 19 games, with a record of 8 wins, 5 draws, and 6 losses, and 34 goals scored and 32 conceded, which speaks of a team that in many matches dictates the tempo itself, but is often punished in moments when the rhythm drops. Excelsior is fourteenth with 21 points after 19 games, with 6 wins, 3 draws, and 10 losses, and 20 goals scored and 35 conceded, so it is clear that every home game is an opportunity to collect points that count double at the end of the season. Behind Excelsior are teams threatening to catch up, for example, Volendam with 17 points and Telstar with 16, so any opportunity to turn the atmosphere at Woudestein into points and buy peace for the rest of the championship suits the host. AZ, on the other hand, is looking toward the top where the differences are not insurmountable, as Groningen with 31 points and Twente with 29 are ahead of them, meaning one good run can change the impression of the entire half-season. That is exactly why tickets are also interesting to neutral spectators, as this match combines the fight for stability and the fight for a breakthrough, and such clashes often deliver intensity that is not fully transmitted on television.
The last head-to-head match as a fresh preview of what follows
The freshest trace of mutual competition comes from Alkmaar, where on 21.01.2026 AZ and Excelsior played 1:1, a result that gave Excelsior confirmation that it can survive long phases without the ball and wait for its chance. AZ then played in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and Excelsior in 4-4-2, which right from the start showed a classic contrast between a host seeking control and a guest seeking compactness and clear exit routes. The scorers were Troy Parrott in the 65th minute for AZ and Miliano Jonathans in the 81st minute for Excelsior, and the dynamics of the goals suggest a match where the rhythm can break in a single moment of concentration or one good transition. The statistics of that duel further illustrate how Excelsior defended: AZ had 60 percent possession, 13 attempts, and 4 shots on target, while Excelsior had 40 percent possession, 8 attempts, and 2 shots on target, with an interesting detail that the guest also had more corners. Such a profile of the match is important for fans considering buying tickets because it says that there will be no quiet evening at Woudestein, but a duel in which one mistake or one inspiration can shift momentum from the stands to the pitch and vice-versa. Anyone who wants to experience that change of energy firsthand usually does not wait for the last moment, as in a small capacity, the requested tickets sell out faster than at large stadiums.
AZ Alkmaar between attacking talent and changes on the bench
AZ arrives in Rotterdam with a squad that at the league level still has pronounced quality in attacking roles, but also with an important story from the dressing room and the bench that can affect the preparation for the match. In mid-January, the club announced that it had terminated cooperation with head coach Maarten Martens, after which Leeroy Echteld was appointed as a temporary solution, meaning the team has entered a period of adjustment exactly at the stage of the season when points are hardest to earn. In such circumstances, a simpler, more direct game plan is often sought, but AZ still has a striker who can settle a match from few opportunities, and league statistics confirm this: Troy Parrott is the club's top scorer with 10 goals in 14 appearances, while he is followed by Sven Mijnans with 5 and several players with 2 goals each, indicating that the finish is most often focused on one man, but that support still exists. Parrott is also among the best scorers of the entire championship, where he is currently fourth on the list with 10 goals, behind Ayase Ueda with 18, Guus Til with 11, and Jizz Hornkamp with 10, so it is clear that Excelsior's defense will have a very concrete task. At the same time, the psychological layer after the coach change is not negligible, as in such weeks players often try to prove their status and keep their playing time, and that tends to raise aggressiveness and the number of duels. If you want to be in the stands at the moment when such matches change direction, secure your tickets immediately and click the button because interest in tickets grows as the duel approaches.
Excelsior Rotterdam and the home recipe for points in a tight zone of the table
For Excelsior, this match is a typical example of an encounter where the season can turn in a positive direction, especially because at Woudestein the host often gets an extra percentage of energy that is not seen in statistics. Coach Ruben den Uil has been leading the team since summer 2024, and that period brought a clear idea of how to survive in the league: organization without the ball, quick decision-making in transition, and maximum use of the home crowd which is literally next to the touchline. Figures in the championship confirm that Excelsior must seek balance, as after 19 rounds it has scored 20 goals and conceded 35, which means that matches easily open up as soon as the first line of pressure does not do the job to the end. However, the home field in Rotterdam brings a specific advantage: the stadium is small, the stands are close, and every won duel gets a loud confirmation that often pulls the whole team into an extra sprint or block. A comparison of resources further strengthens the impression of the challenge, as in available estimates, the total market value of Excelsior's squad moves around 17.45 million euros, while AZ is estimated at around 146.88 million euros, so it is clear that the locals must rely on the collective and details instead of individual squad depth. Precisely because of this, tickets for such matches carry a special charm, as spectators do not come only to watch the favorites but also to see if the host at its small stadium can force a more powerful opponent into nervousness and error.
History of the duel and why this pair in Rotterdam is remembered longer than one weekend
The duel between Excelsior and AZ has an interesting historical note that often returns in fans' conversations as soon as Woudestein is mentioned, because it was at that stadium that a story was once written that remained in the collective memory of Dutch football. On 29.04.2007, Excelsior beat AZ at Woudestein with a result of 3:2 in an encounter that had a high competitive stake, and reports from that time emphasize the dramatic course and the fact that the guest missed what then looked like a historic opportunity. Such matches create a lasting emotional connection with the venue, so it is not strange that even today, almost two decades later, Rotterdam is talked about as an unpleasant away trip for AZ when everything boils down to one ball and one moment. Stadium Woudestein further strengthens that impression as it was opened back in 1902, and over the years it has been renovated and expanded several times, with today's capacity being around 4,400 seats, which creates an intimate atmosphere that modern large stadiums can rarely offer. In such an environment, history is not just a number in the archive, but something felt as soon as fans enter the stands, as stories are passed from generation to generation, and every new encounter gets an additional layer of meaning. And that is why tickets for this event are more than an ordinary ticket for a match, they are an entrance to a small stadium with a big memory, where every new duel is automatically compared to what came before.
Stadium Woudestein and Rotterdam from a match visitor's perspective
Woudestein is located in the eastern part of Rotterdam, on the northern bank of the river Maas, approximately three kilometers from the city center and about four kilometers from the main railway station, making it accessible to those coming from outside the city. A special detail of the location is the proximity to the Erasmus University campus, so the neighborhood where the stadium is located is predominantly residential and student-oriented, and on match days it gets extra liveliness as the local rhythm overlaps with the fans'. From a practical angle, the recommendation is to use public transport as the stadium is connected by tram line 21, and the journey from the main station to the Woudestein stop takes about fifteen minutes, with departures every ten to twenty minutes, which facilitates arrival planning before the start. In such an environment, tickets and passes become part of the logistics, because when you have a small capacity and a dense atmosphere, arriving at the last minute often means stress, crowds at the approaches, and less time to settle in the stands. Buy tickets via the button below and click the button , and then plan your arrival earlier to catch the atmosphere that has been building at Woudestein for hours before the first referee's whistle without rushing. Rotterdam is a city that loves the energy of big events, but precisely matches like this at smaller locations offer an authentic experience of the city, as football is not separated from the streets but is felt in cafes, trams, and conversations on the way to the stadium.
Tickets, arrival time, and what to expect in the stands
For visitors planning this match, the most important thing is to coordinate the purchase of tickets with the arrival plan, as 18:45 means the match is played at a time when traffic and city rhythm often overlap with the fan wave. Woudestein's advantage is the proximity to the pitch and excellent visibility, but that also means that every gap in the stands is seen, and every fan impulse is heard, so the most beautiful part of the experience happens when you are in place early enough to soak up the warm-up and the first reactions of the crowd. Ticket sales are available, and tickets for such a duel have additional demand because a guest with pronounced attacking potential and with a striker who is among the best scorers in the league is coming, while the host is looking for points that can set the tone for the spring part of the season. For those coming for the first time, it is good to know that the stadium is at the address Honingerdijk 110, 3062 NX Rotterdam, and that the simplest arrival is by tram, which reduces stress about parking in a residential area and gives more time for entry and orientation. Secure your tickets immediately, click the button and be in the stands early enough to catch the moment when Woudestein turns into a small, loud stage where even the smallest detail can decide who will exit the 23rd round with a smile. Such matches often have several recognizable phases, the initial measuring, the guest's period of control, the host's search for transition, and the finish in which one set-piece or one breakthrough can break the result, and that is precisely why the experience from the stands is the best way to understand how the pressure of the match changes from minute to minute.
Sources:
- ESPN + Eredivisie 2025-26 table and team point standings
- ESPN + match summary AZ Alkmaar 1-1 Excelsior 21.01.2026 with formations and statistics
- ESPN + AZ Alkmaar scorer statistics in the 2025-26 season
- AZ.nl + club announcement on terminating cooperation with coach Maarten Martens
- DutchNews.nl + report on the coach change and the appointment of Leeroy Echteld as a temporary solution
- Transfermarkt + match page Excelsior Rotterdam - AZ Alkmaar for round 23, date, time, and stadium
- The Stadium Guide + key facts about Stadium Woudestein, capacity, location, and arrival by tram
- TNT Sports + Eredivisie 2025-26 top scorers list
- WorldFootball.net + match report Excelsior - AZ 3:2 from 29.04.2007 at Woudestein