The club was founded as Figueirense Football Club on June 12, 1921. The club is named Figueirense after the neighborhood where it is located, in Centro neighborhood). Figueirense means "from Figueira". Figueirense was one of the founders of the defunct Liga Catharinense de Desportos Terrestres, organized on April 12, 1923. In 1932 the team won their first state championship. From 1935 to 1937, Figueirense was three times in a row Catarinense champion. In 1939, Figueirense won again the state championship, that was end of the Golden Decade of the club.