The football club Borac Banja Luka was founded on 4 July 1926. Originally it was named "Radnički sportski klub Borac", which means Labour Sports Club Borac, Borac meaning "Fighter", and its roots come from the relation the club had with local labour movements during the first half of the 20th century. The club was founded by a group of football enthusiasts including the writer, activist and People's Hero of Yugoslavia Veselin Masleša, Rudolf "Rudi" Hiter, Savo Novaković, Nikola Pucar, Brane Pucar, Mustafa Softić, Nikola Kuković, Žarko Vranješević, Mile Stefanović, Brane Stefanović among others. They financed the club believing that by backing and supporting it that they would directly help promote the labour movements struggle that were under way. The name "Borac" (English: fighter) was given by Masleša who said: "If you are going to fight for workers rights, why don't you give the club name Borac?".