KV Kortrijk secures lease extension for home stadium

Belgian Pro League football club KV Kortrijk has struck a new deal with the City of Kortrijk to continue playing at Guldensporen Stadion for the next nine seasons.

The new long-term deal also covers the club’s youth complex. Both the stadium and the youth complex are owned by the city.

Guldensporen Stadion has a capacity of over 9,000 and opened in 1947. As part of the new agreement, KV Kortrijk has committed to supporting social initiatives that are being launched across the city.

The deal has been signed after KV Kortrijk narrowly avoided relegation from the top-tier Pro League last season. Owner Vincent Tan recently carried out a €10m (£8.4m/$10.9m) capital increase for the club with the aim of delivering a more successful season in 2024-25.

According to Belgian broadcaster VRT, the deal includes a clause that will allow the city to be informed if the club enters takeover talks in the future. The agreement also includes more fan representation at board level.

Guillaume Nuytten, KV Kortrijk’s non-sports chief executive, said: “The connection between us and the city has been something we have felt strongly in recent months. 

“Everyone in Kortrijk sympathises with our club. The new usage agreement for the stadium and youth complex runs for nine seasons, with tacit renewal, and therefore offers us legal certainty in the long term. We are pleased that we can continue to build on the positive collaboration with the city of recent months.”

The city’s sports minister, Wouter Allijns, added: “In terms of sports, the players and staff of KVK did their job by fighting until the very last breath to successfully ensure the club’s survival in the highest football division.

“Our supporters were the main players in this by continuing to unconditionally encourage the club in a formidable way. The collaboration between KVK and the city has also never been as intense as it was last year. This has resulted in a new agreement that gives both parties a good feeling.”