Hamburger SV was founded in 1887 in Hamburg, Germany, through the merger of several earlier clubs, with the combined entity formally taking the Hamburger SV name in 1919. Based in Germany's second-largest city, the club has long been one of the country's most historically significant football institutions.
The club's golden era came in the late 1970s and early 1980s under coach Ernst Happel. HSV won the Bundesliga in 1978-79, 1981-82, and 1982-83, the last two as back-to-back champions. The pinnacle arrived in the 1982-83 UEFA European Cup, when a Felix Magath goal defeated Juventus 1-0 in the final. The club had also claimed the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1976-77, defeating Anderlecht, making them one of the few German clubs to win multiple European trophies in a single decade. Earlier domestic honours include three German Championship titles in 1922-23, 1927-28, and 1959-60, and three DFB-Pokal victories.
HSV held a unique distinction as the only founding Bundesliga member never to have been relegated — a record that stood for 54 consecutive seasons until 2017-18, when they were finally demoted to the 2. Bundesliga. That moment marked a defining rupture in the club's identity. After several near-misses and heartbreaking playoff defeats, HSV secured promotion back to the Bundesliga for the 2025-26 season.
The club's fiercest local rivalry is with FC St. Pauli, a derby that carries deep cultural and neighbourhood significance within Hamburg. HSV are traditionally associated with their red and white home colours and a passionate northern German fanbase.