Avispa Fukuoka trace their roots to 1982, when workers at Chuo Bohan, a security company in Fujieda, Shizuoka Prefecture, founded a football club. After steady progress through Japan's amateur and semi-professional pyramid, the club relocated to Fukuoka City in 1994 at the invitation of a community eager for J.League football. Rebranded as Fukuoka Blux, they won the 1995 Japan Football League championship and earned promotion to the J.League. The name was changed once more to Avispa Fukuoka — "avispa" meaning "wasp" in Spanish — before their J.League debut in 1996.
The club's early professional years were turbulent, marked by repeated relegations and financial difficulties. They ping-ponged between Japan's top two divisions for much of their history, earning a reputation for resilience rather than sustained dominance. A notable bright spot came around 2000, when the team recorded a club-best 6th-place finish in the J1 second stage. German international Pierre Littbarski managed the side briefly in the late 2000s, bringing international attention to the club.
The defining moment in the club's history came on 4 November 2023, when Avispa lifted the J.League Cup — defeating Urawa Red Diamonds 2–1 in the final — claiming their first major trophy. Having returned to J1 League following a second-place finish in the 2020 J2 season, the club has established itself more firmly at the top level. Their identity is closely tied to the city of Fukuoka and the broader Kyushu region, with a fierce local rivalry against other Kyushu-based clubs shaping their culture. The wasp emblem reflects their stated footballing philosophy: swift, coordinated, collective attacking play.