Top-level sport in Groningen

When the Groningen football club GVAV was promoted to the top flight in 1971, the club’s name was changed to FC Groningen. From that moment on, it became the football club of the city and its surrounding countryside. Since then, top footballers such as Arjen Robben, Luis Suárez and Daley Blind have all played for the club. No matter how deep the slumps the club sometimes found itself in, it could always count on the support of the people of Groningen. During matches at the Euroborg , they sing the players on to victory for the full 90 minutes.

The men’s team at Nova Tech Lycurgus volleyball club has been competing at the very highest level in the Netherlands for many years. In recent years, they have established themselves at the top of the league. Since 2015, they have been racking up the trophies, with 3 national titles, 5 cup wins and 6 Super Cup victories to their name. Reason enough to go and watch the men in blue in action. You can do just that these days at Martiniplaza, where they play their matches.

Other regulars at the top-flight sports hall in Martiniplaza are the tall players of Donar. In the distant past, the basketball club used to play its matches at the Korenbeurs on the Vismarkt, but has now been a regular fixture at Martiniplaza for many years. The atmosphere in the hall propels the team to great heights. They consistently qualify for the play-offs for the national title, having come out on top on several occasions. And it’s not just the basketball that makes an evening at Donar worthwhile; there’s plenty more to enjoy as well. For instance, during the breaks and time-outs, the court is taken over by a group of cheerleaders.

Prefer to keep a cool head? Then why not take a look at Kardinge. During the winter months, the GIJS men take to the ice there. On their skates, they race across the ice, aiming to get the puck past the opposition’s goalkeeper as often as possible. And they’ve been doing so since 1969. These days, they’re competing at the very highest level in the Netherlands, with the play-offs for the national title as their goal. The club’s own youth academy plays a key role in this. Many players in the first team have, in fact, been playing for the club for years. Partly because of this, the stands at Kardinge are once again packed to the rafters.