[1] The first football club in Zadar was established in 1876 and was named AC Dalmazia.

On 26 April 1945, a new club named Fiskulturno društvo Zadar was founded, with departments of football, basketball and athletics.

[2] Zadar played in the Yugoslav Second League on a number of occasions, most recently in 1986.

The club's greatest success in the Croatian Football Cup was achieved in season 1995–96, when they lost in the semi-final against Croatia Zagreb.

NK Zadar's home stadium is the Stanovi with a capacity of 3,858 persons.