AFC Ajax has announced the dismissal of their head coach, John Heitinga, following an alarming run of results in the ongoing UEFA Champions League.

The club’s decision stems from a string of four consecutive heavy defeats in the group stage, leaving the Dutch giants at the foot of their group and in danger of early elimination.

In a statement issued by Technical Director Alex Kroes, Ajax admitted that the club’s performance “Has turned out quite differently from what we had envisioned,” and that insufficient progress has forced the board’s hand.

In addition to Heitinga’s departure, assistant coach Marcel Keizer will also be exiting, and Kroes revealed he has made his own position available should a suitable replacement be found.

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Heitinga, a former Ajax player with over 200 appearances, returned to the helm at the start of the 2025–26 season after a spell abroad.

Despite the expectations surrounding his appointment, results fell well below standards: Ajax recorded just five wins in their first eleven league matches, sits fourth in the Eredivisie, and remains without a point in Champions League group play.

The final straw came after a 3–0 home defeat to Galatasaray S.K. in the Champions League, which left Ajax with a ridiculous goal difference of 1–14 and effectively doomed their European campaign.

Stepping in as interim coach is longtime Ajax figure Fred Grim, tasked with stabilising the team ahead of Sunday’s away fixture against FC Utrecht.

Meanwhile, Ajax’s hunt is on for a permanent successor who can restore the club’s European ambition and domestic dominance.