Gibraltar F.C. was founded in November 1893 in Gibraltar, the British Overseas Territory perched at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. The club was formed by cricketers seeking a way to stay active through the winter months, making it one of the very first civilian football clubs established in the territory — a time when the sport had been almost entirely the preserve of British military personnel stationed there.
The club's early impact on local football was immediate and far-reaching. Its formation helped spark broader interest in the game among Gibraltar's civilian population, which in turn led directly to the creation of the Gibraltar Civilian Football Association and, in 1895, the Gibraltar Football League. In that inaugural league season, Gibraltar F.C. claimed the title, cementing their place in the territory's footballing history. They also have a connection to the first Merchants Cup, though records from that period offer conflicting accounts of the outcome.
After that early peak, the club endured a lengthy wait before their second league title, finally winning the Gibraltar Premier Division again in the 1923–24 season. The club also lifted the Rock Cup in 1894–95. Their competitive record in the men's game spans those two league titles and that cup triumph.
In more recent decades, Gibraltar F.C.'s men's team withdrew from the Gibraltar Football League, though the club has maintained a presence through its women's side, who won the women's league as recently as 2011. The club's identity is rooted in its status as one of Gibraltar's oldest sporting institutions, a product of the territory's unique blend of British heritage and Mediterranean character.