Get ready for Excelsior Rotterdam vs FC Groningen in the Dutch football Eredivisie at Stadion Woudestein in Rotterdam on 11 October 2026. Both teams have 11 points. Tickets are currently listed as sold out, so check the latest match details before planning your ticket purchase and visit
Excelsior Rotterdam - FC Groningen: level on points, different paths to get there
Stadion Woudestein in Rotterdam's Kralingen district will host the clash between Excelsior Rotterdam and FC Groningen in round 8 of the 2026/2027 Eredivisie. The match is scheduled for Sunday, October 11, with kick-off at 16:45 local time. The teams are immediate neighbours in the standings: Excelsior are seventh, FC Groningen eighth, and both teams have 11 points after seven matches. They are separated by goal difference, not by the number of victories. The hosts have scored 15 goals and conceded nine, while Groningen have also scored 15 but conceded 13.
Excelsior want to carry their unbeaten away run onto their home ground, while Groningen aim to confirm that their victory in the previous round ended a disappointing spell. Three points would give the winners an advantage over a direct competitor, although the season is still young enough to avoid drawing far-reaching conclusions.
Woudestein is a small stadium, and tickets have already been marked as sold out. Anyone still planning to travel should check before departing whether any opportunities to attend the match have become available in the meantime, rather than relying on purchasing tickets on matchday.
Eleven points, but two different stories
Both teams have recorded three wins, two draws and two defeats. Excelsior's goal difference of +6 shows that they have been more successful at limiting goals conceded during the opening stages of the league season. Groningen's difference of +2 is partly the result of several matches featuring numerous chances and goals at both ends. Their initial positions in the standings therefore do not reveal everything about the balance of power.
Even more interesting is the division between home and away matches. In their first three league appearances at Woudestein, Excelsior defeated Sparta Rotterdam 2-1 but lost to PSV and FC Utrecht, both times by 1-2. Away from home, by contrast, they remained unbeaten in four matches. Groningen defeated ADO Den Haag 4-1 away, lost 1-5 to PSV and drew 1-1 with Go Ahead Eagles.
Excelsior's form: a point against Ajax and the goalkeeper's important role
In their last five league matches, Excelsior defeated Sparta Rotterdam 2-1 and Willem II 3-0, drew 2-2 with NEC Nijmegen and Ajax, and lost 1-2 to FC Utrecht. This sequence suggests a team that finds ways to score but does not always find it easy to protect a lead or keep a clean sheet. The victories over Sparta and Willem II demonstrated their attacking versatility; the draw against Ajax provided a different demonstration of resilience.
In Amsterdam, Ruben den Uil's team fell behind 1-0 before Lennard Hartjes equalised just before half-time. Aymen Sliti then put the visitors 2-1 ahead following a run and a low pass from Irakli Yegoian. Ajax responded quickly, but Stijn van Gassel preserved the final 2-2 scoreline with his saves. Particularly significant was Excelsior's ability in that encounter to wait for the right moment to break out of a compact defensive block instead of constantly trying to control possession.
Groningen's form: finally a match without conceding a goal
In their previous five rounds, Groningen lost 1-5 away to PSV and 2-3 at home to Fortuna Sittard, then drew 2-2 with FC Twente and 1-1 away to Go Ahead Eagles. In their most recent appearance, on September 18, they defeated PEC Zwolle 3-0. The goalscorers were Thom van Bergen, Jorg Schreuders and Tygo Land. It was a victory that brought three points back to Dick Lukkien's team after two defeats and two draws.
The match against PEC Zwolle also demonstrated several routes to goal. Van Bergen broke through the defence in the first half, Schreuders extended the lead before the interval, and Land confirmed the victory after coming on as a substitute. Lukkien therefore has an argument for maintaining attacking activity, but also a warning from the matches against PSV and Fortuna: a defence that has conceded 13 goals in seven rounds must control the space better after losing possession.
Players worth watching
Aymen Sliti has scored three goals and provided one assist for Excelsior in seven rounds. His movement from the wing towards the penalty area was particularly evident against Ajax. Irakli Yegoian is important as a link between midfield and attack: according to available data, he has created five big chances for his teammates. Hartjes has shown that he can finish attacking moves by arriving from deep, while David Garden is expected to occupy the central defenders and create space for his teammates. Van Gassel remains crucial if the hosts have to defend their own penalty area for extended periods.
On the other side, Thom van Bergen attracts the most attention. He has four goals and two assists in seven league appearances. These are not simply statistics from one successful match: he has scored against FC Utrecht, ADO Den Haag, FC Twente and PEC Zwolle. Brynjólfur Willumsson provides finishing ability and physical presence, while David van der Werff stands out for creating promising chances. Against PEC Zwolle, Schreuders showed that the threat does not come solely from the team's leading goalscorer.
One of the more interesting individual battles will be between Van Bergen and the home defenders Casper Widell and Jan Plug. If Excelsior manage to keep Groningen away from their penalty area, the visitors will have to find additional solutions through the middle or from set pieces. If Van Bergen receives the ball facing goal, the home defence's task will become considerably more demanding.
Coaching plans and the question of team selection
Ruben den Uil has managed Excelsior since 2024 and guided the club to promotion to the Eredivisie in the 2024/2025 season. His team have shown in their matches so far that they can adapt to different opponents. Against Ajax, they defended compactly and threatened on transitions, but in front of their own supporters they will often have to find solutions against organised opposition. Predicted line-ups feature a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Garden as the most advanced player and Sliti as one of the sources of attacking runs down the flank.
Dick Lukkien has been working at FC Groningen since 2023. Previews suggest a 4-2-3-1 formation for the visitors, with stronger protection of the space in front of the defence and attackers capable of swapping positions. Tika de Jonge, Pelle Clement and Tygo Land offer different options in midfield, while Etienne Vaessen provides experience in goal. These are assumptions rather than a confirmed starting eleven; the final selection could change the nature of the encounter.
Excelsior must prevent Groningen from finding Van Bergen between the lines, while the visitors need to watch Sliti's runs and Yegoian's passes into space. Reactions after losing possession will be decisive in controlling the tempo.
Injuries and doubtful players
Ahead of the encounter, Noah Naujoks appears on the lists of unavailable players for Excelsior. For Groningen, Wouter Prins, Nikolas Brandis, Elvis van der Laan, Travis Hernes, Tyrique Mercera and Ryan Metu are listed, while Malcolm Jeng is reported to have an Achilles tendon problem. These are current details from match previews and may change before the line-ups are announced; they should not be interpreted as a definitively confirmed match squad.
Head-to-head encounters: a fresh memory of a comeback
The last five competitive meetings between these opponents produced the following results, from most recent to oldest:
- May 2, 2026 - FC Groningen 2-3 Excelsior Rotterdam, Eredivisie.
- December 5, 2025 - Excelsior Rotterdam 0-2 FC Groningen, Eredivisie.
- January 16, 2024 - Excelsior Rotterdam 0-2 FC Groningen, cup.
- February 25, 2023 - FC Groningen 3-0 Excelsior Rotterdam, Eredivisie.
- January 8, 2023 - Excelsior Rotterdam 1-0 FC Groningen, Eredivisie.
The most recent meeting in Groningen is particularly relevant to today's preview. Excelsior fell behind twice, but Casper Widell scored to make it 1-1, Derensili Sanches Fernandes equalised at 2-2, and Gyan de Regt struck in the 90th minute for a 3-2 victory. It was a win achieved through constantly searching for solutions rather than retreating and protecting a draw.
Groningen, meanwhile, remember December 2025 at Woudestein. They won 2-0 on that occasion, with Van Bergen among the goalscorers. The match was also marked by two red cards. Such examples show why the sequence of previous results does not point to a clear favourite: both teams have experience of winning on their opponents' ground, but they now arrive with changed squads and different circumstances.
Stadion Woudestein: a small setting for a major tactical battle
Excelsior play in Kralingen, in eastern Rotterdam. Stadion Woudestein is located at Honingerdijk 110 and accommodates approximately 4,400 spectators. The stands are close to the pitch, allowing supporters' reactions to reach the playing area more easily. The visitors will play in a compact environment, with little distance between spectators and players.
Among the stands is one named after Robin van Persie. Behind it, Fanplein, a gathering area for supporters, opens before matches. The stadium has also undergone an important recent change: the former artificial pitch has been replaced by GrassMaster hybrid natural grass. Therefore, older information describing Woudestein as a stadium with an artificial playing surface is no longer reliable for this encounter.
Tickets for the match against Groningen have already been announced as sold out. If additional tickets nevertheless become available shortly before the encounter, it is worth checking the entry requirements before planning a journey. Those who already have tickets should pay attention to the exact name of their stand and their entrance; different stadium sectors do not use the same approach.
Getting to Rotterdam and entering the stands
Rotterdam is a major port city on the River Maas. For travellers arriving by train, Rotterdam Centraal is a practical starting point for continuing towards the Kralingen district. The stadium can be reached from the city centre by public transport, without needing a car.
- Address: Stadion Woudestein, Honingerdijk 110, 3062 NX Rotterdam.
- Public transport: from Rotterdam Centraal, tram lines 1 and 11 towards De Esch run to the Woudestein stop; line 7 stops at Burgemeester Oudlaan.
- Parking: car parks P1, P2 and P3 are available on matchday only with the appropriate parking permit. Parking in the surrounding streets is generally subject to a fee.
- Opening times: Fanplein behind the Robin van Persie stand is accessible from 15:15, and stadium entrances open at 15:45.
- Entrances: access points for the Robin van Persie, Rob Albers and Erasmus stands are located along Honingerdijk; the entrance for away supporters is on Burgemeester Oudlaan.
It is particularly important for Groningen supporters to follow the instructions for the away section rather than the approach used by ticket holders for the home stands. Visitors arriving by car need to check in advance whether they can use a particular car park; proximity to the stadium alone does not guarantee an available space.
For those with tickets, the most practical plan is to arrive early, check access to their stand and allow enough time to enter before the 16:45 kick-off. If attendance depends on tickets becoming available later, availability should be checked again before travelling, as the stadium has a limited number of seats.
Sources:
- Excelsior Rotterdam - fixtures, squad and coach: https://excelsiorrotterdam.nl/team/mannen/; report on the match against Ajax: https://excelsiorrotterdam.nl/2026/09/excelsior-pakt-knap-punt-op-bezoek-bij-ajax/; previous encounter with Groningen: https://excelsiorrotterdam.nl/2026/05/in-de-slotminuut-beslist-excelsior-grijpt-overwinning-in-groningen/
- Voetbal International - 2026/2027 Eredivisie standings and coaches' names: https://www.vi.nl/competities/eredivisie/2026-2027/stand; https://www.vi.nl/nieuws/overzicht-de-eredivisie-trainers-van-het-seizoen-2026-27
- Eredivisie - Thom van Bergen's statistics: https://eredivisie.nl/clubs/fc-groningen/spelers/thom-van-bergen/
- FotMob - form, predicted line-ups and current injury status: https://www.fotmob.com/matches/fc-groningen-vs-excelsior/2y99u8
- PEC Zwolle - report on the defeat against FC Groningen: https://peczwolle.nl/nieuws/fc-groningen-pec-zwolle-18-09-27
- FCG Stats - head-to-head results: https://www.fcgstats.nl/nl/games/0/0/ALL/0/t/71
- Excelsior Rotterdam - directions, entrances and opening times: https://excelsiorrotterdam.nl/bezoekers-informatie/; ticket availability: https://tickets.excelsiorrotterdam.nl/
- Fieldmanager - stadium's transition to hybrid natural grass: https://www.fieldmanager.nl/article/53768/eerste-seizoen-grassmaster-veld-vraagt-om-strak-beheer-bij--excelsior; Transfermarkt - Woudestein capacity: https://www.transfermarkt.nl/excelsior-rotterdam/stadion/verein/798