Yokohama F. Marinos trace their origins to 1972 with the founding of Nissan Motor Football Club in Yokohama. The club rebranded as Yokohama Marinos in 1992 to align with the launch of the J.League the following year. In 1999, Yokohama Marinos merged with the financially troubled Yokohama Flügels — the "F" in the current name commemorates that merger and pays tribute to the merged club. Yokohama F. Marinos play at Nissan Stadium (Yokohama International Stadium), the largest in Japan with a capacity of 72,327.
The club's championship history is among the J.League's most decorated. Five J1 titles (1995, 2003, 2004, 2019, 2022) place them in the upper tier of Japanese football, alongside Kashima Antlers and Kawasaki Frontale. The 2003-04 back-to-back era under Takeshi Okada featured a defensive-minded side led by captain Tatsuhiko Nakamura. The 2019 title under Ange Postecoglou — before he moved to Celtic and ultimately Tottenham — marked a tactical revolution at Yokohama, with possession-based football that influenced the J.League's broader stylistic evolution.
Yokohama F. Marinos are partly owned by City Football Group (CFG), the multi-club ownership network that includes Manchester City. This connection has facilitated player and coaching exchanges. Seven Emperor's Cup triumphs and four Japanese Super Cup wins fill out the trophy cabinet. The club has produced Japanese stars including Shunsuke Nakamura — one of the most technically gifted Japanese footballers of all time — Naoki Sakai, Hayato Araki and Yu Mukaida. The Kanagawa Derby against neighbours Kawasaki Frontale defines the regional rivalry.