KAA Gent
KAA Gent is a Belgian professional football club founded in 1909, competing in the Jupiler Pro League and UEFA Conference League, operating first, reserve, women's, and youth teams from the owned Planet Group arena in Ghent, and monetizing through ticketing, merchandise, B2B hospitality, sponsorships, and a community foundation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1909
- HeadquartersGent, Belgium
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What KAA Gent does
KAA Gent is a Belgian professional football club founded in 1909 and headquartered at the Planet Group arena in Ghent, East Flanders. The club fields four competitive units — the First Team (Jupiler Pro League and UEFA Conference League), Jong KAA Gent (reserve team, Challenger Pro League), KAA Gent Ladies, and a youth academy under the Buffalo Talent Center brand — and operates a community foundation (vzw Voetbal in de Stad / KAA Gent Foundation) running seven social-sport projects supporting approximately 800 Ghent residents. Operational infrastructure includes the owned Planet Group arena (opened 2013) with documented accessibility features (60 wheelchair positions, 14 adapted toilets, blind commentary, hearing loops, 80 accessible parking spaces), Palmki palm-recognition access control, and a wholly-owned cashless payment subsidiary (Horeca Foot BVBA) using Starnet NV digital chip technology integrated with online, mobile, and POS top-up.
The commercial model is multi-stream: B2C individual ticket sales and season subscriptions (Abonnementen), a merchandise operation through an official webshop and stadium fanshop, B2B business hospitality (Skyboxes, Rolf Benz & Kowala Soccer Lounge, Wedstrijdseats, Wedstrijdcredits), and structural sponsorship with partners including Baloise, Planet Group (naming rights), Coca-Cola, Telenet, Craft Sportswear, Maes, and others. Ticketing is operated through the RoboTicket platform; data processing occurs through wehave.io and Sports Alliance. The club is structured as a Belgian cooperative (CVBA so K.A.A. GENT) with a separately organized non-profit Foundation. Recent commercial activity includes a Marketing & Communication department reorganization (July 2026), installment payment plans for 2026-2027 season subscriptions, and ongoing player transfer activity (László Bénes acquisition, Es-Saoubi loan to Volos FC).
KAA Gent firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KAA Gent
- Legal name
- CVBA so K.A.A. GENT
- Website
- https://kaagent.be
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1909
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- KAA Gent is a Belgian professional football club founded in 1909, competing in the Jupiler Pro League and UEFA Conference League, operating first, reserve, women's, and youth teams from the owned Planet Group arena in Ghent, and monetizing through ticketing, merchandise, B2B hospitality, sponsorships, and a community foundation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where KAA Gent is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gent
- HQ country
- Belgium
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
KAA Gent business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual match tickets and season subscriptions (abonnementen) for Jupiler Pro League and UEFA Conference League matches. Season ticket holders receive a Buffalo account card with cashless functionality.
- Merchandise & Shop: Sales of official club merchandise including replica shirts, accessories, and fan items through the official webshop and physical fanshop.
- Hospitality & Business Packages: Premium business hospitality offerings including Skyboxes, Soccer Lounge access, matchday seats with catering, and credit-based systems for corporate clients. Includes Rolf Benz & Kowala Soccer Lounge and Wedstrijdseats packages.
- Sponsorship: Revenue from corporate sponsors including Baloise, Planet Group, Circus, Gent Motors, Craft Sportswear, Coca Cola, Maes, Hamann International Logistics, Backline Security, and Telenet.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Season subscriptions for 2026-2027 season |
| Subscription | Annual | Rolf Benz & Kowala Soccer Lounge - Groups of 4, 6, or 8 persons |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Wedstrijdseats - Matchday premium seating |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Wedstrijdcredits - Credit-based system |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Prefoot Menu - Matchday dining package |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
KAA Gent product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KAA Gent is a Belgian professional football club that competes in the Jupiler Pro League and UEFA Conference League. The club sells match tickets, season subscriptions, and official merchandise to individual supporters, while offering premium business hospitality packages (Skyboxes, Soccer Lounges, matchday credits) to corporate clients. The club also operates the KAA Gent Foundation for community and social impact programs, a youth academy, reserve and women's teams, and a cashless payment system at the Planet Group arena.
Product overview
KAA Gent is a Belgian professional football club offering a comprehensive ecosystem centered around its football teams (First Team, Jong KAA Gent, Ladies, and Youth Academy). The club provides match-day products including ticket sales via RoboTicket, season subscriptions, and cashless payment systems for stadium purchases. Hospitality offerings encompass Skyboxes, Business Seats, Soccer Lounges, and match-day credit packages for corporate clients. The Buffalo Kids Club provides youth fan engagement, while the KAA Gent Foundation runs community programs. Accessibility services including wheelchair seating, blind commentary, and hearing systems ensure stadium inclusion. The club also operates an official fanshop/webshop for merchandise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- KAA Gent Foundation: Community foundation managing social projects, accessibility, heritage and social-sportive work for the club
- Jong KAA Gent
- KAA Gent Ladies
- Buffalo Talent Center
- Chillax Arena
Products and services
- Match Ticket Sales (RoboTicket)
- Season Subscriptions (Abonnementen)
- Official Webshop (Fanshop)
- Business Hospitality Packages
- Cashless Payment System
- First Team Professional Football
- Jong KAA Gent Reserve Team
- KAA Gent Ladies Women's Team
- Buffalo Talent Center Youth Academy
- KAA Gent Foundation Community Programs
- Buffalo Kids Club
- Accessibility Services for Supporters with Disabilities
- Supporter Bus Service
- Prefoot Menu Matchday Dining
- Buffalo Account
Quantifiable outcome
- 60 wheelchair positions and 80 accessible parking spaces in Planet Group arena
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use KAA Gent
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
KAA Gent technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature2 records
KAA Gent partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BaloisecoreInsurance company appearing as structural partner on KAA Gent website. Provides insurance services to the club and its operations.
- Planet GroupcoreNaming rights partner - stadium is officially named Planet Group arena. Provides arena facilities and naming rights association with the club.
- CircusminorDaily products brand appearing as structural partner on KAA Gent website.
- Gent MotorsminorLocal automotive dealer appearing as structural partner on KAA Gent website.
- Craft SportswearcoreOfficial technical kit supplier for KAA Gent. Provides match shirts, training gear, and sportswear for the club.
- Coca ColaminorBeverage company appearing as structural partner on KAA Gent website.
- MaesminorBeverage brand appearing as structural partner on KAA Gent website.
- Hamann International LogisticsminorInternational logistics company appearing as structural partner on KAA Gent website.
- Backline SecurityminorSecurity services provider appearing as structural partner on KAA Gent website.
- TelenetminorTelecommunications company appearing as structural partner on KAA Gent website.
- Starnet NVcoreTechnology provider supplying the digital chip technology for the cashless payment system used in the stadium for consumptions and merchandise purchases.
- Gourmet InventcoreCatering partner responsible for culinary services at business hospitality events, including 3-course dinners with matched wines for Soccer Lounge packages.
- INTER - Toegankelijk Vlaanderen vzwcoreNon-profit organization providing blind commentary service for supporters with visual disabilities and volunteer assistance for supporters with disabilities at each home match.
- AccessibAllcoreAccessibility organization partnering with KAA Gent Foundation for inclusive stadium experiences for supporters with disabilities.
- Stad GentcoreCity of Ghent municipality providing support for KAA Gent Foundation projects and accessibility initiatives.
- Sport VlaanderenminorFlemish government sports agency supporting KAA Gent Foundation initiatives.
- Geconet Services cvbacoreData processing controller responsible for camera surveillance and image processing in the stadium complex for security purposes.
- Koning BoudewijnstichtingminorManaging the 'Fonds Vrienden van de KAA Gent Foundation' charitable fund. Giften vanaf €40 per jaar qualify for tax deductions under Belgian law.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
KAA Gent competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- KRC Genk: KRC Genk is a Belgian Pro League club known for its youth academy and Champions League/Europa League pedigree, making it a direct sporting and commercial comparable to KAA Gent. Operates in the same league with similar ticketing, merchandise, and sponsorship revenue models.
- OH Leuven: OH Leuven is a Belgian Pro League club operating with a similar model of matchday revenue, sponsorships, and youth development. Competes in the same league and represents a comparable mid-tier commercial profile to KAA Gent.
- Standard Liège: Standard Liège is a top-tier Belgian Pro League club from Wallonia, comparable in stadium-based operations, commercial structure, and European competition participation to KAA Gent, with a similar scale of supporters and sponsor portfolio.
- KV Mechelen: KV Mechelen is a Belgian Pro League club explicitly named in KAA Gent's match calendar. Operates with similar ticketing, hospitality, and sponsorship models in the same domestic league, making it a direct comparable.
- KVC Westerlo: KVC Westerlo is a Belgian Pro League club of similar mid-tier commercial scale to KAA Gent, competing in the same league and operating comparable ticketing, sponsorship, and merchandise revenue streams.
- Club Brugge: Club Brugge is the dominant Belgian Pro League club and KAA Gent's most direct domestic competitor, operating in the same Jupiler Pro League with comparable ticketing, hospitality, and sponsorship revenue models. Both clubs compete regularly in European qualifiers and group stages.
- Cercle Brugge: Cercle Brugge is a Belgian Pro League club with similar scale of operations, ticket revenue, and sponsorship structure. Directly competes in the same league and serves a comparable regional supporter base.
- Royal Antwerp FC: Royal Antwerp FC is a Belgian Pro League club and recent league champion, directly comparable to KAA Gent in commercial operations, ticketing, and European competition participation. Operates a similar fan engagement and hospitality structure.
- RSC Anderlecht: RSC Anderlecht is a historic Belgian Pro League club based in Brussels and a direct sporting and commercial comparable to KAA Gent, operating a similar multi-team structure, hospitality offerings, and European competition footprint.
- Royale Union Saint-Gilloise: Union SG is a Belgian Pro League club that has recently risen to title contention, with a comparable mix of matchday, sponsorship, and merchandise revenue. Competes with KAA Gent in the same league and has similar European competition ambitions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
KAA Gent social profiles
Digital presenceKAA Gent financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KAA Gent leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
KAA Gent subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
KAA Gent funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KAA Gent M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KAA Gent
What does KAA Gent do?
KAA Gent is a Belgian professional football club that competes in the Jupiler Pro League and UEFA Conference League. The club sells match tickets, season subscriptions, and official merchandise to individual supporters, while offering premium business hospitality packages (Skyboxes, Soccer Lounges, matchday credits) to corporate clients. The club also operates the KAA Gent Foundation for community and social impact programs, a youth academy, reserve and women's teams, and a cashless payment system at the Planet Group arena.
Is KAA Gent a public or private company?
KAA Gent is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was KAA Gent founded?
KAA Gent was founded in 1909. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is KAA Gent based?
KAA Gent is headquartered in Gent, Belgium, in the Europe region.
How does KAA Gent make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are merchandise & Shop, hospitality & Business Packages and sponsorship.
Who are KAA Gent's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are KRC Genk, OH Leuven, Standard Liège, KV Mechelen, KVC Westerlo, Club Brugge, Cercle Brugge, Royal Antwerp FC, RSC Anderlecht and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.
Does KAA Gent have an API?
No public API is recorded for KAA Gent.