JAKARTA - Dutch football faces a new “passportgate” row after NAC Breda challenged Go Ahead Eagles’ 6-0 win. The club claims ex-Dutch defender Dean James should count as a non-EU player following his Indonesian naturalization in March 2025.

Dutch media reports indicate the KNVB has launched a broader review that may impact players tied to Indonesia, Suriname (former Dutch colonies), and Cape Verde. Clubs are now benching suspects amid fears of sanctions.

Second-tier TOP Oss also appealed its loss to Willem II, questioning Nathan Tjoe-A-On’s eligibility. FC Emmen, on the other hand, sidelined Tim Geypens, who took his Indonesian citizenship oath on February 8, 2025, until authorities clarify the situation.

Dutch newspaper AD reported around 25 players are currently under immigration scrutiny. Named cases include Dean James, Justin Hubner, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Tjaronn Chery, and Virgil Misidjan. Etienne Vaessen was benched by Groningen over work permit issues following his decision to represent Suriname.

Go Ahead Eagles has insisted that James signed his 2023 contract with a valid Dutch passport, and the club maintains Dutch registration for tax and contract purposes despite the nationality switch. The matter rests with the KNVB, which reports no final ruling.

“The Professional Football Competition Board has noted letters from NAC Breda and TOP Oss raising questions on player eligibility, nationality, and work permits,” the Eredivisie said in a written statement.

Under Dutch league rules, clubs must pay non-EU players over 21 years old a minimum salary of around €600,000 per year, one of the strictest thresholds in European football.

For comparison, Germany’s Bundesliga has no cap on non-EU players, but clubs must include at least 12 German players. France’s Ligue 1 allows a maximum of four non-EU players, but most African players are exempt from the regulation under the Cotonou Agreement.

Arya Sinulingga, a member of the Indonesian FA (PSSI) Executive Committee, told the media at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on March 27, as Indonesia faced St. Kitts and Nevis for the FIFA Series, “The process isn't here, it's over there [in the Netherlands]. So, we’ll just wait for news from there; there will definitely be solutions for those problems.”

“It has nothing to do with that [Indonesian paperwork], no connection. What is being disputed isn't just him; there are many others [other players] there as well, so it's not an issue [on our end],” he added.

Between 2020 and 2025, the PSSI naturalized more than 20 foreign-born football players, most of them Dutch-Indonesian descendants of the mixed-heritage Indos.