The club was founded in 2006 and competes in the UPSL Premier Division, a fifth-tier United States Adult Soccer Association and Cal South affiliated league in Southern California.

The team received attention in the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, when the club upset 2012 PDL Champions Kitsap 3-1,[3] the USL Pro side Wilmington Hammerheads 4–0[4] and Major League Soccer side Portland Timbers 1–0 before losing to Seattle Sounders FC 5–0 in the fourth round of the tournament.

Cal FC became the first amateur team to beat an MLS club without needing penalty kicks, as well as the first from the USASA to do so (Dallas Roma F.C.

In 2013 Cal failed to Qualify for USOC after losing to Doxa Italia in the USASA Region IV tournament.

[12][13][14] On August 21, 2018, Cal FC announced their intention to join the second-division United Soccer League by 2020.