Real Oviedo were founded in 1926 in Oviedo, the capital of Asturias in northern Spain, through a merger of two local clubs. They reached La Liga for the first time seven years later and quickly established themselves as one of the most exciting sides of the era.
The 1930s brought Oviedo's most celebrated chapter. Under English coach Fred Pentland, the club developed an attacking quartet — Emilín, Galé, Herrerita, and Isidro Lángara — whose sharp passing and fluid movement earned them the nickname Delanteras Eléctricas, "The Electric Forwards." Lángara won the Pichichi Trophy three consecutive seasons (1933–34 to 1935–36), and the team scored 174 goals across 62 league games in that stretch, breaking all contemporary scoring records. The Spanish Civil War brought that golden era to an abrupt end, scattering key players across Europe and South America.
Oviedo have won the Segunda División five times (most recently 1974–75) and have spent 39 seasons in La Liga across their history. Their finest league finish was third place in 1962–63. A return to the top flight in 1988 brought a sustained run through the 1990s, including a sixth-place finish in 1990–91 and a UEFA Cup appearance. Financial collapse after 2001 sent the club as low as the fourth tier by 2003, and a remarkable supporter-driven share campaign in 2012 — backed by billionaire Carlos Slim — helped rescue the club from dissolution. In 2025, Oviedo secured promotion back to La Liga for the first time in 24 years.
The club's defining rivalry is the Asturian derby against Real Sporting Gijón, contested over 100 times and central to regional identity in Asturias. Oviedo play at the Estadio Carlos Tartiere, the largest sports stadium in the region.