Founded in 1902, Excelsior are Rotterdam's third professional club. Their return means all three Rotterdam clubs — Feyenoord, Sparta, and Excelsior — are in the Eredivisie simultaneously for 2025-26.

Relegated in 2023-24, they earned immediate promotion with a commanding 5-0 victory over Jong PSV. Their 4,500-seat Stadion Woudestein is the smallest ground in the Eredivisie.

Adjacent to the Erasmus University campus, Stadion Woudestein is one of the most intimate professional venues in the Netherlands. That closeness between fans and players becomes a tactical advantage for the home side.