Kocaelispor Club, commonly known as Kocaelispor, is a professional football club based in İzmit, located in Kocaeli Province, Türkiye. The club was established in 1966 through the merger of three local teams: Baçspor, İzmit Gençlik, and Doğanspor. It is distinguished by its club colours, green and black, and is historically regarded as one of the most prominent provincial clubs in Turkish football.
Kocaelispor will return to Trendyol Süper Lig in the 2025-2026 season.
Stadium and Infrastructure
Kocaelispor plays its home matches at the Kocaeli Stadium, a modern venue with a seating capacity of approximately 34,000. The stadium, inaugurated in 2018, is among the largest and most advanced football facilities in Türkiye outside of the major metropolitan centers. The club benefits from substantial regional support and maintains a large and active fan base, particularly represented by the organized supporter group Hodri Meydan, founded in 1988.
Kocaelispor's home ground has a maximum capacity of 34,000.
Recent History and Promotion to the Süper Lig
In the 2023–2024 season, Kocaelispor competed in the TFF First League (Türkiye’s second-tier professional football division). The club secured mathematical promotion to the Trendyol Süper Lig following a successful league campaign, thereby returning to the top flight of Turkish football after a 15-year absence. The promotion represents a significant milestone in the club’s recent history and a restoration of its historical status within the national football hierarchy.
Kocaelispor last competed in the Süper Lig during the 2008–2009 season, after which it experienced a prolonged period of financial and sporting decline, including multiple relegations. The club’s return to the highest level has been regarded as a symbolic resurgence both for its community and for the broader representation of Anatolian football in the top division.
Honours and Achievements
- Türkiye Kupası (Turkish Cup): Winners (1): 2001–2002 (defeated Beşiktaş in the final)
- Süper Lig Best Finish: 5th place in the 1992–1993 season
- International Appearances: Participated in UEFA competitions, including the UEFA Cup
Club Identity and Legacy
Kocaelispor is commonly referred to by the nickname “Körfez” (The Gulf), a reference to the Gulf of İzmit. The club has cultivated a strong regional identity and maintains traditional rivalries with neighboring clubs, most notably Sakaryaspor, with whom it contests the highly competitive Marmara Derby. Matches against Bursaspor are also considered significant regional encounters.
In addition to its sporting accomplishments, Kocaelispor has played a vital role in local civic culture, often seen as a symbol of pride for the industrial and working-class communities of Kocaeli Province.
