Surrounded by Lier, Nijlen and Heist-op-den-Berg, Kessel has a long football history as well. And one stadium stands out in the village. Ever since 1948 the Herman Weltersstadion has hosted several teams in Kessel.
In 1926 Kessel FC was created. The first couple of years they didn't play in the Belgian FA and looking back afterwards they must have regretted this as in 1926 they could have still received a rather low matricule number. Instead they joined the Belgian FA midway the 40s. Kessel FC never made it to the national divisions though. All throughout their existence they mainly played in the lower regional leagues.
In 1970 they were accompanied by FC Excelsior Kessel. In 1973 they joined the Belgian FA as well and pretty soon they outpowered K Kessel FC. During the 80s and 90s Excelsior made it to the second highest regional league and they even made it to the finals of the cup of Antwerp. Afterwards financial problems rose up and Excelsior went down to the lower divisions and joined Kessel FC again. After 41 years it was over. The team ceased activities in 2011, but quickly made a re-start as Zwart-Wit Eendracht Kessel. The next four years they would mainly stay in the lower regional leagues.
In the meantime K Kessel FC started experiencing the same issues as Excelsior. Financial problems in the end forced them to cease activities in 2014. Three years after Excelsior. But Kessel FC also made a re-start. VC Kessel was born. VC Kessel continued where Kessel FC left the stage, in the lower regional leagues and in the Herman Weltersstadion, originally named Pastoor Schelkensplein.
After only one year both teams in Kessel saw the light and realized the only way to survive is to have one big team in the village. Kessel United was born in 2015. The matricule number of ZWE Kessel was kept (as ZWE Kessel played in a higher division), but the new team did move into the Herman Weltersstadion.
By the end of season 2017-'18 Kessel United relegated to the lowest regional league. But there was a spicy detail. Rumour had it KSV Aartselaar was guilty of match fixing. A complaint was filed so Kessel United could stay in the same division, but the complaint was dismissed and Kessel United had to relegate after all. Not a lot of people will know about this as this was during the same period of another match fixing case...
