Fortuna Sittard was established in 1968 through the merger of two clubs from the municipality of Sittard-Geleen in the southern Dutch province of Limburg: Fortuna '54 and Sittardia. The merger, formally named the Fortuna Sittardia Combinatie, was driven largely by financial pressures facing both predecessor clubs at the time.
The roots of the club's trophy cabinet predate the merger. Fortuna '54 won the KNVB Cup in the 1956–57 and 1963–64 seasons, and the combined club later reached the final again in 1983–84 and 1998–99. Fortuna Sittard also claimed the Eerste Divisie title in 1994–95, part of a period in which the club was a consistent presence in the top-flight Eredivisie throughout the 1990s. That era is perhaps best remembered for the talented players who passed through its youth system, including Mark van Bommel, Kevin Hofland, and Fernando Ricksen — all of whom went on to represent the Netherlands and compete at the highest level of European football.
The 2000s brought severe financial difficulties, including near-bankruptcy and a prolonged spell in the second tier. A takeover by Turkish investor Işıtan Gün in 2016 helped stabilise the club, and in 2018 Fortuna returned to the Eredivisie after a 16-year absence. Since then, the club has re-established itself as a steady mid-table presence in the Dutch top flight, finishing 10th in the 2023–24 season.
Rooted in the Limburgish identity of Sittard-Geleen, Fortuna Sittard carries a distinct regional character that sets it apart from the more prominent clubs of the Randstad, and its resilience through repeated financial crises has become a defining part of the club's story.