KAA Gent II

Promotion came through the Flemish half of Belgian Division 1 VV in 2024/25, and it carried Jong Gent straight into the Challenger Pro League.

Those seasons began with a gap in the fixture list. When Roeselare went bankrupt, the Belgian third tier opened its doors to U-23 sides for the first time, and KAA Gent put a reserve team into the experiment in 2022.

Aboubakary Abdullahi scored 21 goals in the promotion season. Thomas Matton had taken charge the previous July, having moved across from the senior coaching staff; he played for Gent's first team between 2015 and 2017.

Promotion also meant a licence, and the licence meant a bigger ground. The team left the Chillax Arena, where the capacity was 6,500, for the Planet Group Arena and its 20,185 seats — the senior club's stadium. For 2025/26 the home fixtures moved again, to the Backline Arena in Oostakker.

By the end of February 2026 the side sat eighth, with 10 wins, 3 draws and 11 defeats from 24 matches.