Club Brugge KV

In 1890, students from the Catholic school Broeders Xaverianen and the neutral school Koninklijk Atheneum joined together to form the Brugsche Football Club. The former students christened the club's founding by establishing the Latin motto 'mens sana in corpore sano' (a healthy mind in a healthy body). A year later on 13 November 1891, the club was re-created under Brugsche FC, and this is now seen as the official foundation of the current Club Brugge. In 1892, an official board was installed at the club to oversee all operations and team decisions. In 1895, the national athletics sports union was founded, predecessor of the later national football association, under the name UBSSA (Union Belge des Sociétés de Sports Athlétiques); Brugsche FC was a founding member of the UBSSSA and as such took part in the first league campaign organized in Belgian football during the 1895–96 season. Financial difficulties in the following year forced the club to leave the UBSSA, and soon after, Football Club Brugeois was formed by breakaway club members. The two sides were reunited in 1897 under the French name of Football Club Brugeois; they did not take on the Dutch title Club Brugge until 1972.

In 1914, FC Brugeois reached their first Belgian Cup final, but lost 2–1 to Union SG. Six years later, the club claimed their first trophy, by winning the Belgian First Division during the 1919–20 season. They celebrated by changing their title to Royal FC Brugeois – with their regal status now reflected in their modern prefix KV, standing for Koninklijke Vereniging (royal club). Only eight years later though, the club was relegated to the Belgian Second Division for the first time in their history following a relegation play-off. Further lean times followed the relegation in 1928, as they spent much of the 1940s and 1950s in the second division of Belgian football.

Following the 1958–59 season, the club earned promotion back to the First Division and have not been relegated since. The club were able to add to their trophy cabinet in 1968, winning the first of their record 11 Belgian Cup titles for the first time after defeating Beerschot A.C. 7–6 in a penalty-shootout after a 1–1 draw.

The club enjoyed their most success under legendary Austrian manager Ernst Happel as he led the club to three straight league championships from 1975–76 to 1977–78 and a Belgian Cup victory in 1976–77. Happel also guided Club Brugge to their first European final, reaching the 1976 UEFA Cup Final. Over the two-legged final against English giants Liverpool, Club Brugge fell 3–4 on aggregate. Two years later, Brugge again met Liverpool in a European final, this time in the 1978 European Cup Final at Wembley, becoming the first Belgian club to reach the final of the competition. Brugge fell to a lone second-half goal from Kenny Dalglish as Liverpool won their second European Cup and third European trophy in succession. Following the cup final loss to Liverpool, Happel left Club Brugge and would lead Netherlands later that summer to the final of the 1978 FIFA World Cup.

On 25 November 1992, Brugge player Daniel Amokachi became the first goal scorer in the Champions League. He scored in a 1–0 win over CSKA Moscow.During the 2004-05 season, Club Brugge won its 13th Belgian league championship under Norwegian manager Trond Sollied, its second title in three seasons.

In March 2015, Club Brugge won the Belgian Cup with a 2–1 victory over Anderlecht. After Aleksandar Mitrović equalised for Anderlecht in the 89th minute, Lior Refaelov scored the winning goal in stoppage time, securing the club's first Belgian Cup title since 2007.

In May 2016, the club secured its first Belgian league championship in 11 years under manager Michel Preud'homme. The title was clinched with a 4-0 home victory over Anderlecht, in which Abdoulay Diaby scored twice along with goals from Hans Vanaken and Timmy Simons.

In 2020, the club were declared Belgian champions after the Pro League voted to terminate the 2019–20 season during the COVID-19 pandemic, at the time of the season's suspension, the club held a 15-point lead over second-placed Gent.

On 20 May 2021, Brugge drew 3–3 with rivals Anderlecht to win the Belgian First Division A title for the fourth time in six years and 17th time overall. It was the first time since 1973 that Club Brugge had been crowned champions at Anderlecht's ground and the first time since 1976–77 and 1977–78 that Brugge had won back-to-back league titles. A year later, they would become champions for a third time in a row at Antwerp's ground, the first time since 1977–79. They would go on and qualify for the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League knockout for the first time in the modern history, after losing only once, keeping 5 clean sheets in the group stage, and a 0-0 draw away to Atlético Madrid. This made Brugge the third Belgian club ever to reach the competition's knockout stage and the first Belgian side to secure advancement. Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet played a key role in the club's defensive performances.

In June 2025, the club announced the biggest sponsorship in its history with Betsson under which the company's betFIRST brand would appear on the front of the team’s shirts for domestic matches, beginning with a friendly against KV Kortrijk on 28 June, while the betsson.sport brand would be featured on kits for European competitions. In September 2026, Betsson rebranded its Belgian operations to its eponymous brand with its front-of-shirt sponsorship of Club Brugge continuing under the Betsson brand.