Ajax will kick off their Eredivisie season with a home match against Heerenveen at the Johan Cruijff Arena this Sunday, August 11.
After a disappointing 2023-24 season which saw them salvage a fifth-place finish and a Europa League qualification last campaign, the 36-time league champions will be determined to put their woes behind them and hit the ground running, knowing that a positive start is crucial to their aspirations of reclaiming the title.
The visitors, on the other hand, will be seeking to improve on their 11th-place result last season and make an impact in the upcoming season under new manager Robin van Persie. The former Arsenal and Manchester United striker will be eager to make his impression in his first senior coaching post.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
Ajax vs SC Heerenveen kick-off time
| Date: | Sunday, August 11, 2024 |
| Kick-off time: | 10:45am ET/ 7:45am PT |
| Venue: | Johan Cruijff ArenA |
The Eredivisie match between Ajax and Heerenveen will be played at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
It will kick off at 10:45 am ET/7:45 am PT on Sunday, August 11, in the United States (US).
How to watch Ajax vs SC Heerenveen online - TV channels & live streams
In the US, the pre-season friendly match between Ajax and Heerenveen will be available to watch and stream online live through ESPN+.
Check out GOAL's Live Match Centre for updates.
How to watch anywhere with VPN
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.
Team news & squads
Ajax team news
The Dutch giants will be without Christian Rasmussen and Owen Wijndal, while Gaston Avila and Amourricho van Axel Dongen are also doubtful for the league opener at the Johan Cruijff Arena. To make matters worse, Steven Bergwijn, who missed the first leg of the Europa League against Panathinaikos, will be unable to play against Heerenveen owing to a ban.
Ajax manager Francesco Farioli may choose to rotate his team, allowing players such as Branco van den Boomen, Mika Godts, Bertrand Traore and Brian Brobbey to compete for a starting berth.
Ajax possible XI: Pasveer; Rensch, Sutalo, Baas, Hato; Taylor, Henderson, Van den Boomen; Traore, Godts, Brobbey
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Rulli, Gorter, Ramaj, Setford, Pasveer |
| Defenders: | Hato, Kaplan, Medic, Avila, Wijndal, Bass, Rensch, Gaaei, Gooijer |
| Midfielders: | Mannsverk, Tahirovic, Vos, Taylor, Van den Boomen, Henderson, Fitz-Jim, Berghuis, Hlynsson |
| Forwards: | Akpom, Rijkhoff, Forbs, Godts, Univar, Van Axel Dongen, Rasmussen |
SC Heerenveen team news
The visitors will set up with a solid and structured defense, with Andries Noppert in goal and Sam Kersten and Pawel Bochniewicz making a formidable central pairing. Luuk Brouwers, a newly signed midfielder, will join Simon Olsson and Amara Conde. Their role will be to hinder Ajax's assaults and provide swift counterattacks.
Ion Nicolaescu will lead the line as the lone striker. The Romanian attacker, who scored five goals in 19 league games last season, hopes to make an impact against the Dutch powerhouses and help his club pull off a surprise.
Heerenveen possible XI: Noppert; Hall, Kersten, Bochniewicz, Kohlert; Conde, Olsson, Brouwers; Sebaoui, Al-Saed, Nicolaescu
| Position | Players |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers: | Noppert, Van der Hart, Bekkema, Klaverboer |
| Defenders: | Ali, Bochniewicz, Milovanović, Köhlert, Hall, Braude, Kersten, Mulder |
| Midfielders: | Sebaoui, Nunnely, Olsson, Brouwers, Condé, Smans, Van Ee, Witteveen |
| Forwards: | Al-Saed, Nicolaescu, Trenskow, Karlsbakk, Rallis |
Head-to-Head Record
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| 11/02/24 | SC Heerenveen 3-2 Ajax | Eredivisie |
| 05/11/23 | Ajax 4-1 SC Heerenveen | Eredivisie |
| 12/03/23 | SC Heerenveen 2-4 Ajax | Eredivisie |
| 10/09/22 | Ajax 5-0 SC Heerenveen | Eredivisie |
| 11/05/22 | Ajax 5-0 SC Heerenveen | Eredivisie |