Vissel Kobe is a J-League soccer club based in Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, whose home stadium is Noevir Stadium Kobe, which was newly built for the 2002 World Cup in Japan and Korea. The team was founded in 1966 by the Kawasaki Ice Cream Club, which became a member of the J-League in 1997. The team's name is derived from the words Victory, meaning victory, and Bissell, meaning ship; the word means a victorious embarkation, and the name is very much in keeping with Kobe, an international port city. The team recently concluded the transfer of the much-talked-about world-class player Andres Iniesta, giving them a major boost in their bid to win the championship. Their performance will be watched with interest as they look to win their first championship, a long-cherished goal. Despite having a star-studded lineup, they have struggled to win, but they finally won a J1 league in 2024.