{{short description|Belgian football club}} {{Infobox football club | clubname = Houtvenne |image = KFC Houtvenne logo.png | fullname = Koninklijke Voetbalclub Houtvenne | nickname = ''Josterwaak''<ref name="gva1">{{cite news |last1=Frans |first1=Koen |title=RONDJE PROVINCIE. Houtvenne: "Trots op interprovinciaal label voor ons jeugdvoetbal" |url=https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20210527_96650397 |work=gva.be |date=28 May 2021 |language=nl-BE}}</ref> | founded = {{start date and age|1946}} | ground = Stadion KFC Houtvenne A Terrein,<br />[[Hulshout|Houtvenne]] | capacity = 1,500 | chairman = Bart Van den Brande | manager = Geert van Dessel | league = [[Belgian Division 1]] | season = [[2024–25 Belgian Division 2|2024–25]] | position = [[Belgian Division 2]] VV B, 1st of 16 (promoted) | pattern_la1 = | pattern_b1 = | pattern_ra1 = | leftarm1 = 008000 | body1 = 008000 | rightarm1 = 008000 | shorts1 = ff0000 | socks1 = FFFFFF | pattern_la2 = | pattern_b2 = | pattern_ra2 = | leftarm2 = FFFFFF | body2 = FFFFFF | rightarm2 = FFFFFF | shorts2 = 0000FF | socks2 = FFFFFF }}
'''Koninklijke Voetbalclub Houtvenne''' is a [[Association football|football]] club based in [[Hulshout|Houtvenne]], [[Antwerp Province]], Belgium. The team set to play in [[Belgian Division 1]] from 2025–26, the third tier of Belgian football after promotion from [[Belgian Division 2]] in 2024–25. The club is affiliated to the [[Royal Belgian Football Association]] (KBVB) with ''[[matricule]]'' 4481 and has green and red as club colours. The grounds of the club are located near the village centre of [[Houtvenne]], but on the territory of the neighbouring municipality of [[Herselt]].
== History == Houtvenne played for a number of years with the Flemish Football Association, and then joined the [[Royal Belgian Football Association]] (KBVB) around 1946, where they were given ''[[matricule]]'' number 4481. Houtvenne began competing in the [[Belgian Provincial Leagues]].
In the 2015–16 season, the club played in the First Provincial and won the title. For the first time in club existence, the club promoted to the national tiers, as they would play in the [[Belgian Division 3|Belgian Third Amateur Division]] from the [[2016–17 Belgian Third Amateur Division|2016–17 season]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Trappeniers |first1=Alain |title=KFC Houtvenne kroont zich tot kampioen op slotdag |url=https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/blatr_02243240 |work=Het Nieuwsblad |date=18 April 2016 |language=nl-BE}}</ref>
After four seasons in the fifth tier, a new high point in club history occurred. Despite finishing fourth in their division and narrowly missing promotion, [[A.S. Verbroedering Geel|ASV Geel]] failed to obtain their licence for the fourth tier, which meant that Houtvenne reached the [[Belgian Division 2]], and would play their first season at that level for [[2020–21 Belgian Division 2|2020–21]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Heikant Berlaar en Houtvenne moeten wachten |url=https://rtv.be/artikels/heikant-berlaar-en-houtvenne-moeten-wachten-a83013 |work=RTV |date=22 May 2020 |language=nl}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Stienissen |first1=Geert |title=Geel zakt naar eerste provinciale, Houtvenne stijgt naar tweede amateurklasse |url=https://www.hbvl.be/cnt/dmf20200613_04990138?origin=app |work=hbvl.be |date=13 June 2020 |language=nl-BE}}</ref>
== Honours == {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+Houtvenne honours !scope=col|Honour !scope=col|No. !scope=col|Years |- !scope=row|[[Belgian Division 2|Belgian Division 2 VV B]] |align="center"|1 | [[2024–25 Belgian Division 2|2024–25]] |- !scope=row|Eerste Provinciale Antwerpen |align="center"|1 | 2015–16 |- !scope=row|Tweede Provinciale Antwerpen |align="center"|1 | 2005–06 |}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{official website|https://www.kfchoutvenne.be/}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Houtvenne}} [[Category:Football clubs in Belgium]] [[Category:Association football clubs established in 1946]] [[Category:1946 establishments in Belgium]] [[Category:Football clubs in Antwerp Province]] [[Category:Hulshout]]
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