Last Updated on June 26, 2026
NEC Nijmegen have begun Champions League preparations weeks ahead of schedule, as the Dutch Eredivisie club gears up for a historic European campaign in 2026/27. Coach Dick Schreuder has warned the squad that the season ahead will bring challenges unlike anything the Nijmegen club has faced before.
NEC Hit the Training Ground Early for Historic Champions League Campaign
NEC Nijmegen began pre-season training on 24 June 2026 — far earlier than most clubs in the Dutch Eredivisie — to prepare for a Champions League qualifying campaign that gets under way in early August.
Coach Dick Schreuder, who guided NEC to a remarkable third-place Eredivisie finish last season with attractive, attacking football, is under no illusions about what lies ahead. "I think it’s going to be a totally different year," Schreuder said on day one. "There are all kinds of things we’re not used to as a club. That’s an enormous challenge for us as a coaching staff."
While other clubs around Europe are still winding down, NEC have no such luxury. The first Champions League qualifying leg falls in early August, leaving Schreuder a compressed pre-season window in which to integrate new signings and fine-tune the pressing, high-tempo game that shocked the Eredivisie last term.
The unusual timing has not been lost on new striker Kaj Sierhuis either. With the football world still gripped by the FIFA World Cup, Sierhuis acknowledged the strange atmosphere around day one. "It’s a bizarre sensation," he said. "We have to flip the switch to start the season as well as possible. Even the Netherlands match at 1am will be difficult."
Sierhuis Picks Champions League Over Foreign Move as El Kachati Departs
NEC confirmed three new signings in the lead-up to pre-season, with striker Kaj Sierhuis and defender Tobias Storm both on the pitch for the first training session on 24 June. Defender Perr Schuurs, the third addition, is following a separate recovery programme after a lengthy injury and has no confirmed return date.
Sierhuis, 28, joined on a free transfer from Fortuna Sittard, where his performances last season attracted interest from clubs both at home and abroad. The striker says the Champions League opportunity proved decisive in keeping him in Dutch football. "We had a dream of going abroad. We were absolutely open to it, but after weighing up all the options, the conclusion was that this was the best step," Sierhuis said. "There’s a great sporting challenge here, combined with European football and a club that stands for super-attacking football."
Heading out is winger Youssef El Kachati, who announced his departure from NEC on social media after a single season at the club. El Kachati joined from Telstar 12 months ago but was limited mainly to substitute appearances during his time in Nijmegen. He is widely expected to join Stade de Reims in France, though neither NEC nor the Ligue 1 club had officially confirmed the deal as of 24 June 2026.
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When does NEC Nijmegen play in Champions League qualifying?
NEC Nijmegen’s first Champions League qualifying match is scheduled for early August 2026. That tight timeframe is why the club began pre-season training on 24 June — well ahead of most Eredivisie rivals. You can track the odds on NEC’s Champions League qualifying matches through our crypto betting guide.
How did NEC Nijmegen qualify for the Champions League?
NEC Nijmegen qualified by finishing third in the Dutch Eredivisie in the 2025/26 season under coach Dick Schreuder, who led the club to an unexpected top-three result playing attractive, attacking football.
Who has NEC Nijmegen signed ahead of the 2026/27 season?
NEC have confirmed three new signings: striker Kaj Sierhuis (free transfer from Fortuna Sittard, age 28), defender Tobias Storm, and defender Perr Schuurs, who is currently recovering from a long-term injury and has not yet joined the main squad.
Who is Kaj Sierhuis and why did he join NEC?
Kaj Sierhuis is a 28-year-old Dutch striker who arrived on a free transfer from Fortuna Sittard. He had concrete interest from clubs abroad but chose NEC specifically for the chance to play Champions League qualifying football alongside the club’s attacking philosophy under coach Schreuder.
Who has left NEC Nijmegen this summer?
Winger Youssef El Kachati has left NEC after one season, announcing his departure on social media. He is widely expected to join Stade de Reims in France, though the transfer had not been officially confirmed by either club as of 24 June 2026.