KV Mechelen, officially known as Yellow Red Koninklijke Voetbalclub Mechelen, is a professional football club based in Mechelen, Antwerp Province, Belgium. Founded in October 1904, the club is one of the established names in Belgian football and is traditionally associated with its yellow and red colours. It is commonly known as Malinwa and competes under Belgian Football Association registration number 25. The club has a strong regional identity and a long-standing connection with its supporters and the city of Mechelen. \n\nKV Mechelen has won four Belgian league championships, with its title-winning seasons including 1942–43, 1945–46, 1947–48 and 1988–89. Its most celebrated period came in the late 1980s, when the team achieved major domestic and European success. In 1987, the club won the Belgian Cup, followed by victory in the 1987–88 European Cup Winners' Cup. In the final in Strasbourg, KV Mechelen defeated Ajax 1–0, establishing itself as one of the notable Belgian clubs to win a major European trophy. The club also won the European Super Cup in 1988. \n\nThe team plays its home matches at the AFAS Stadion, also known as Achter de Kazerne, in Mechelen. The club operates a professional first team alongside youth and academy structures, with development programmes designed to support emerging players. It also has women's football and community activities as part of its wider sporting organisation. \n\nKV Mechelen experienced serious financial difficulties in the early 2000s and was saved from bankruptcy in 2003 through the support and involvement of its fans. This supporter connection remains an important part of the club's identity, and KV Mechelen is recognised as an early Belgian professional club to include supporters in its governance. The club returned to Belgium's top division in 2019 and continues to represent Mechelen in the country's professional football competitions. Its identity is built around its history, yellow-and-red colours, passionate fan base and values of family, friendship, hard work and atmosphere.