A severe drought in the Netherlands is threatening the start of the amateur football season. Dry conditions have left pitches across the country hard and unusable, raising concerns about player safety. Clubs are facing the possibility of postponing the first few rounds of fixtures, with some already cancelling pre-season friendlies. The Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) is monitoring the situation closely and advising clubs to assess pitch conditions before matches. Water restrictions are exacerbating the problem, making it difficult to irrigate playing fields effectively. This disruption could impact thousands of players and fans across the nation as the season’s start date approaches. Officials fear long-term damage to pitches if play continues under these conditions.