FC ST. Gallen

Foundation and early decades (1879–1940s)

FC St. Gallen was founded on 19 April 1879, following an invitation published in the local newspaper, the St. Galler Tagblatt. The inaugural meeting took place at the Restaurant Hörnli on Neugasse, making it the oldest football club still in existence in Switzerland and continental Europe. During its first decades, the club integrated several other local football teams from the region.

In 1902, the club played its first international friendly match, defeating Alemannia Karlsruhe 26–0. On 22 June 1903, the club officially adopted the name FC St. Gallen and secured its first Swiss Championship during the 1903–04 season. In 1910, the club moved to the Espenmoos stadium. Following a period of decline, the club was relegated in 1932 but returned to the top tier under player-coach Norman Smith. The club later reached its first Swiss Cup final in 1945, which was immediately followed by another brief relegation.

Post-war period and second championship (1950s–2001)

The mid-20th century was marked by heavy fluctuations, including a drop to the third-tier 1. Liga in 1957 before the club successfully fought its way back to the top flight in 1968. In 1969, FC St. Gallen won its first Swiss Cup title by defeating AC Bellinzona 2–0. The subsequent decades were highlighted by a famous 0–0 UEFA Cup draw against Inter Milan in 1985 in front of a record crowd, and the goalscoring exploits of Chilean star Iván Zamorano in 1990.

Following a temporary decline in the early 1990s, the club achieved renewed success later in the decade under the management of Marcel Koller. During the 1999–2000 season, FC St. Gallen won its second Swiss Championship, enabling the club to compete in the qualification rounds of the 2000–01 UEFA Champions League and subsequently in the UEFA Cup, where they achieved a historic aggregate victory over English club Chelsea FC.

Relegations and transition to the new stadium (2002–2017)

Following this successful era, the club faced financial difficulties and declining league performance. In 2008, FC St. Gallen moved from its historic stadium, the Espenmoos, to the newly constructed AFG Arena (now the Sitterstadion). Due to relegation at the end of the 2007–08 season, the club's first season in the new stadium was played in the second-tier Challenge League.

The club achieved immediate promotion back to the top division for the 2009–10 season but was relegated again at the end of the 2010–11 campaign. Under manager Jeff Saibene, FC St. Gallen secured immediate promotion as Challenge League champions in 2012 and subsequently finished third in the 2012–13 Swiss Super League. In August 2013, the club defeated Russian side FC Spartak Moscow in the play-off round to qualify for the 2013–14 UEFA Europa League group stage, where they competed against Valencia CF, Swansea City, and FC Kuban Krasnodar. Following this European campaign, the club re-established itself as a consistent mid-table team in the Swiss Super League.

Modern era and recent success (2018–present)

The club's modern ascent began following the appointment of Matthias Hüppi as club president in early 2018. Hüppi's leadership established a new structural and financial foundation, which became a fundamental cornerstone for the club's subsequent sporting success. Under his presidency, German head coach Peter Zeidler was appointed ahead of the 2018–19 season. Leading the team until 2024, Zeidler implemented an aggressive, high-pressing style of football that revitalized the club. This philosophy led them to a runners-up finish in the 2019–20 Swiss Super League season. In the following season, the club competed in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Europa League, where they were eliminated by AEK Athens in the third round. Zeidler also guided the team to consecutive Swiss Cup finals in 2021 and 2022, though the club lost both matches.

Following Zeidler's departure, Enrico Maaßen took over as head coach ahead of the 2024–25 season. In his debut campaign, Maaßen successfully led the club through the qualification rounds of the UEFA Conference League, defeating Turkish side Trabzonspor in the play-off round to enter the league phase. This marked a significant return to European group-stage football. Under his guidance, the club continued its upward trajectory, achieving another strong 2nd-place finish in the 2025–26 season. The campaign was crowned by winning the Swiss Cup final with a 3–0 victory against FC Stade Lausanne-Ouchy, marking their first major domestic trophy since 2000. By winning the cup, the club earned a spot in the qualification rounds for the UEFA Europa League for the upcoming season.