The club was founded as Figueirense Football Club on June 12, 1921. The club is named Figueirense after the neighborhood where it is located, in
Centro neighborhood). Figueirense means "from Figueira". Figueirense was one of the founders of the defunct Liga Catharinense de Desportos Terrestres, organized on April 12, 1923. In 1932 the team won their first state championship. From 1935 to 1937, Figueirense was three times in a row
Catarinense champion. In 1939, Figueirense won again the state championship, that was end of the Golden Decade of the club. In 1972, was the end of the 30-year state championship titleless period. In 1973, Figueirense was the first team of
Santa Catarina state in
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. In 1974, the team won
Catarinense again. In 1994, the 17-year state championship titleless period ended. In 1995, Figeirense was
Torneio Mercosul champion (not to be confused with
Copa Mercosur) at Santa Catarina. It was the club's first (and only) international title. In 2001, the club was
Campeonato Brasileiro Second Division runner-up, and was promoted to the following year's
First Division. From 2002 to 2004, Figueirense was three times in a row Campeonato Catarinense champion. In 2008, Figueirense won the
Copa São Paulo de Juniores for the first time after beating
Rio Branco-SP 2–0 in the final. In the 2008 edition of Serie A, Figueirense finished in 17th place, being relegated to Serie B the following year. In 2002,
Rivaldo's and
César Sampaio's company, called CSR Esporte & Marketing, and Figueirense signed a partnership. The company was responsible for the administration of the professional football of Figueirense. The partnership ended in 2004. Some famous players who have played for Figueirense in the last decade are
Edmundo,
Loco Abreu,
André Santos,
Roberto Firmino,
Filipe Luís,
Cleiton Xavier,
Felipe Santana and
Michel Bastos. In 2026, Figueirense had a dismal campaign in Campeonato Catarinense, with only 4 wins across the 2 phases of the competition. The club was relegated for the second time in its history to
Campeonato Catarinense Série B in the sixth and last round of the relegation quadrangular, after losing to
Carlos Renaux 4-2 on Estádio Orlando Scarpelli, even entering the module with an extra point for being the best fifth-placed team in the championship. ==Rivals==