Ajax faces FC Utrecht at Kras Stadion on Sunday, May 24, 2026, with kick-off set for 10:15 UTC in an Eredivisie ECL Playoff fixture that FotMob lists as one of the day's decisive matches. Maarten Paes is named in Ajax's starting XI and will begin in goal for the visitors.
FotMob's pre-match sheet gives a clear picture of how both managers have set their teams up. Ajax line up in a 4-3-3: Maarten Paes; Anton Gaaei, Aaron Bouwman, Youri Baas, Lucas Rosa; Davy Klaassen, Youri Regeer, Jorthy Mokio; Steven Berghuis, Kasper Dolberg, Mika Godts. FC Utrecht are listed in a 4-2-3-1: Vasilios Barkas; Niklas Vesterlund, Mike van der Hoorn, Mike Eerdhuijzen, Souffian El Karouani; Siebe Horemans, Gjivai Zechiël; Yoann Cathline, Dani de Wit, Jesper Karlsson; Artem Stepanov.
The raw numbers underline why this match matters today: across their full head-to-head record Ajax lead with 15 wins to FC Utrecht's 12, with 8 draws. Yet the form line that sits over the fixtures is notable — FC Utrecht have won the previous three matches against Ajax, a run that turns this game into more than a standard fixture and gives Utrecht a psychological edge heading into Kras Stadion.
FotMob's match page supplied the available/unavailable player lists as well as live-score and commentary features that will run during the game. Ajax will be without Vítezslav Jaros, Josip Sutalo, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Kian Fitz-Jim, while FC Utrecht enter the match without Jaygo van Ommeren, Victor Jensen, Emirhan Demircan and Miguel Rodríguez. Those absences are recorded on the same pre-match sheet that names the starting XIs and the tactical setups for both sides.
The tension here is straightforward: Ajax carry the longer-term advantage in the head-to-head ledger, but Utrecht's three-match winning run over Ajax rewrites immediate expectations. A 15–12–8 historical split suggests recurring balance across seasons; three successive wins for Utrecht suggest a current tilt. Coaches, players and supporters will be watching whether history or momentum determines the outcome on the pitch.
Broadcast arrangements are comprehensive for viewers around the world: the match will be shown live on Premier Sports 1 UK, Premier Sports Player, Unlimited, Select, Sportsnet World, Sportsnet NOW, Sportsnet+, Premier Sports 1 ROI, Africa, DStv Now, sooka and Astro Go, according to the pre-match information compiled before kick-off.
The tactical matchups are written into the lineups. Ajax's 4-3-3 places creators and finishers across the front three and midfield, while Utrecht's 4-2-3-1 stacks a compact midfield shield with an attacking trio behind a lone striker. That shape battle — and the enforced selections listed by FotMob — will be decisive at Kras Stadion.
Maarten Paes starts for Ajax and, against a Utrecht side featuring Jesper Karlsson and Yoann Cathline among the starters, will be central to how the match unfolds. When the whistle blows at 10:15 UTC, the question on the field will be whether Utrecht can extend their streak to four against Ajax, or whether Ajax will use their deeper head-to-head advantage and the selected 4-3-3 XI to halt Utrecht's run.
