Referee Sander van der Eijk will take charge of his first Eredivisie top match between Ajax and PSV on Saturday. The KNVB officially appointed the 35-year-old official for the clash at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on Tuesday, as reported by NU.nl Sport.
Ajax currently sits fourth in the league with 7 points from three matches. The Amsterdam side has scored 8 goals and conceded only 2. They trail leaders AZ Alkmaar by 5 points. The next fixture is this home match against PSV on September 5th, the second-placed team. You can check the current table on our standings page.
Who is referee Sander van der Eijk?
Sander van der Eijk has been officiating in the Eredivisie since 2019. The Saturday night showdown between the traditional top clubs Ajax and PSV marks a new step in his career. He has never refereed a match between clubs from the traditional top three (Ajax, PSV, Feyenoord) before. Van der Eijk is also active in European competitions on behalf of the KNVB.
He will be assisted by assistant referees Rens Bluemink and Sander de Groot. Richard Martens is the fourth official. Pol van Boekel will serve as the VAR. Kick-off is at 20:00.
What is Ajax's situation ahead of the top match?
Ajax enters this important match with a WDW recent form. They have seven points from three games, but have played one match fewer due to European obligations. PSV is second with ten points from four matches. This encounter is the first top match of the season between two clubs from the traditional top three.
Ajax's squad will have to manage without the injured Youri Regeer for now. For the latest injury news, you can consult our injuries page. The match against PSV is a chance to close the gap on the leaders.
What does the rest of the weekend look like?
AZ Alkmaar is the undefeated league leader after four match rounds. They play away at sc Heerenveen on Sunday at 14:30. That match will be officiated by referee Jeroen Manschot. The results of all matches can be followed via our fixtures overview.
All attention on Saturday, however, will be focused on Amsterdam. The clash between Ajax and PSV is an early highlight of the league campaign. For referee Van der Eijk, it is the biggest assignment of his career so far. Ajax's next official match is the home fixture against PSV Eindhoven on September 5, 2026.
