Alkmaarderhout (stadium)

About

Alkmaar Zaanstreek (Dutch: [ˈɑl (ə)kmaːr ˈzaːnstreːk]), better known internationally as AZ Alkmaar, or simply and most commonly as AZ (pronounced [aːˈzɛt]) in the Netherlands, is a Dutch professional football club from Alkmaar and the Zaan district. The club plays in the Eredivisie, the top tier in Dutch football. AZ won the Eredivisie in 1980–81 and 2008–09. In 1981, they reached the UEFA Cup final, which they lost to Ipswich Town. The team has won the KNVB Cup five times, most recently in 2025–26. They also won the Johan Cruyff Shield twice, in 2009 and 2026.

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.