Sportclub Heerenveen was founded in 1920 in the town of Heerenveen, in the northern Dutch province of Friesland. Originally established as Athleta, the club went through two name changes before settling on v.v. Heerenveen in 1922, with the professional section later becoming sc Heerenveen in 1977.
The club's early golden era was built around legendary forward Abe Lenstra, who led Heerenveen to multiple regional championships during and after World War II. A famous 6–5 comeback victory over Ajax — overturning a 5–1 deficit with 25 minutes remaining — became one of the most celebrated moments in Dutch football folklore. After decades in the lower divisions, Heerenveen finally broke through to the Eredivisie in 1990, becoming the first Frisian club to reach the top flight.
Heerenveen's most successful sustained period came under coach Foppe de Haan, culminating in a second-place Eredivisie finish in 1999–2000 and a place in the UEFA Champions League. The club claimed its only major trophy in 2009, winning the KNVB Cup with a 2–2 draw followed by a 5–4 penalty shootout victory over Twente. In recent years the club has remained a stable Eredivisie presence, reaching European play-offs with some regularity.
Heerenveen's identity is inseparable from Frisian culture. The club plays the Frisian national anthem before every home match and displays the Frisian flag prominently. Their fiercest rivalry is with SC Cambuur — a derby rooted not only in geography but in competing claims over Frisian identity itself.