KRC Genk officially communicated during a press conference this morning that the Wouter Vrancken’s contract, and by extension that of his entire staff, will be extended. In concrete terms, this means that, along with our head coach, we are embarking on a long-term plan, with his deal being extended until 2026 and Wouter Vrancken having a deeper involvement in the sporting operation of the club.

Peter Croonen, Chairman of KRC Genk, described the moment as follows: “During the preseason and what has been a wonderful start to the season, it has become clear that there is a great match between the club and the current staff. Of course, the results have been there, but we are also looking at this in a larger context. When we see how positive energy and a change in mentality has been installed, that is what we were looking for. We are therefore happy to recognize the impact of Wouter and by extension the entire staff in this current momentum, and with that we have concretised a long-term commitment together. We hope that after that process, Wouter, like many players, can then take a step towards a top foreign league.”

“We are writing a fantastic story with this club. Not only on general if you look at the past 25 years, but also specifically if you focus on our being in second place in the cumulative table over the last five seasons. This is all coming in the context of our own structure, where we work without external capital”, added Dimitri de Condé, Head of Football. “Nevertheless, obtaining continuity in the manager’s role was a key point. We believe that we have now found an ideal match with Wouter Vrancken and by extension his staff. In concrete terms, we have therefore strengthened our commitment, with a view to 2026.”

“This also means that we will maintain trust in each other in good and bad times. Through this, we can provide stability for the staff to do their jobs. On the other hand, this also means that we will involve Wouter more broadly and more closely in the sporting activities of KRC Genk. The realization and implementation of what is desired – a top sporting culture, coupled with a clear footballing philosophy and its associated principles, are the main pillars in this.”

Manager Wouter Vrancken added: “It is clear that I felt good here from the first moment. There is something that clicked on all levels, between both parties and with this hard-working staff. I am therefore very pleased that we can embark on this journey together and look forward to continuing this great start, as well as continuing to focus on strengthening the entire sporting operation.” In practice, a new agreement has been signed until the summer of 2026, replacing the previous agreement, which was of an indefinite duration. This extension does involve a shift in the roles within the club in terms of transfer policy. Decisions in this area will still be made via the sporting committee, of which Wouter was previously a member as coach.