The Dutch Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) announced a list of twenty-five players on 1/4 whose work permits did not match their passports. This group primarily consists of players who renounced their Dutch citizenship in favor of Suriname, Cape Verde, or Indonesia. The players are temporarily suspended from playing and training with their clubs until the matter is resolved.

The Indonesian players affected include Dean James (Go Ahead Eagles) and Justin Hubner (Fortuna Sittard), who play in the Eredivisie, the national league. Nathan Tjoe-A-On (Willem II) and Tim Geypens (Emmen) compete in the first division. These players are of Dutch and Indonesian descent, born and raised in the Netherlands.

Go Ahead Eagles defender Dean James playing in the 6-0 victory over NAC Breda in the 27th round of the Dutch national league 2025-2026 on 15/3. Photo: ANP

The incident began when NAC Breda filed a complaint with the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) against Go Ahead Eagles, alleging a player violated eligibility rules. This followed NAC Breda's 0-6 loss in the 27th round of the Eredivisie on 15/3. NAC Breda requested a rematch if the KNVB determined James had violated eligibility rules.

According to the complaint, Dean James naturalized as an Indonesian citizen and renounced his Dutch citizenship in 3/2025, as the two countries do not permit dual citizenship. The defender should have been registered as a non-European Union (EU) worker, but his records still listed him as a Dutch citizen.

As a non-EU worker, a player must meet two conditions: obtain a work permit and have a minimum annual salary of EUR 600,000, which is approximately 18 billion VND. However, James's salary is only around EUR 190,000.

Four players of Indonesian and Dutch descent are banned from playing in the Netherlands, including Justin Hubner, Dean James, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, and Tim Geypens (from left).

NAC Breda's complaint paved the way for Tilburg to file a similar complaint. This club lost to Willem II, which features Nathan Tjoe-A-On, in the first division.

Meanwhile, three Indonesian players are not on the IND list: goalkeeper Maarten Paes (Ajax), defender Mees Hilgers (FC Twente), and forward Miliano Jonathans (Excelsior). In Paes's case, the goalkeeper must return to the United States and apply for a temporary residence permit, which is an entry visa for individuals seeking to live and work in the EU for more than 90 days.

Due to the large number of players involved, Dutch media have dubbed the incident a "passport scandal". The KNVB has urged clubs to find the best solution for the common good. "Some parties are considering solutions to help players who grew up in the Netherlands obtain permanent residence permits," an article on ESPN Netherlands stated. "There is much hope that the affected players will be eligible to play again in the coming weeks, without having to comply with regulations for non-EU players."

Compiled by Trung Thu