Albirex Niigata

Japan

Founded

1955

Arena

42,300 cap

Albirex Niigata (アルビレックス新潟, Arubirekkusu Nīgata) is a professional football club based in Niigata, Japan. Formed in 1955 as Niigata Eleven SC, it was renamed Albireo Niigata FC in 1995, and Albirex Niigata in 1997. Since 2018, the first team have competed in the J2 League, the second tier of Japanese football.

Yokohama F Marinos

Japan

Founded

1972

Arena

Nissan Stadium Yokohama · 72,327 cap

Yokohama F. Marinos (横浜F・マリノス, Yokohama Efu Marinosu) is a Japanese association football team that participates in the J1 League. Having won the J-League title four times and finishing second twice, they are one of the most successful J-League clubs. The team is based in Yokohama and was founded as the company team of Nissan Motors. The club was formed by the merger of Yokohama Marinos and Yokohama Flügels in 1999. The current name is intended to reflect both Marinos and Flügels. The team name Marinos means "sailors" in Spanish. Yokohama F. Marinos is the longest serving team in the top flight of Japanese football, having played at the top level since 1982, also making them, along with Kashima Antlers, one of only two teams to have competed in Japan's top flight of football every year since its inception.