Kocaelispor is a football club based in İzmit, the largest city of Kocaeli Province, founded in 1966. The club has a long history in Turkish football, experiencing periods in both the Süper Lig and lower divisions. Its most successful period was in the late 1990s and early 2000s, highlighted by winning the Turkish Cup twice (1997 and 2002) and participating in European competitions.
The team plays its home matches at İzmit Stadium, which opened in 2017 with a capacity of around 34,000. The stadium replaced the old İzmit İsmetpaşa Stadium and is a modern venue that reflects the club’s ambition to reestablish itself as a top-tier team.
Kocaeli is an industrial and economically important city in northwestern Turkey, near Istanbul. Kocaelispor represents the city’s pride and identity, with a passionate local fan base known for strong support despite the club’s fluctuations between divisions.