The club is chaired by the American lawyer and businessman Joe Tacopina, the current manager is Francesco Baldini.

In the early stages, it was mainly a cultural and religious association, then in 1913 it became a multi-sports company, taking the name of Società Polisportiva Ars et Labor (Latin for Sports Club Society of Art and Work) The team began its professional activity under the aegis of the Italian Football Federation (Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio) in 1919, competing in the second-tier tournament.

Between 1939 and 1943 the club temporarily changed its name to Associazione Calcio Ferrara, wearing the black and white colours of the city.

After the suspension of the championships due to war, in 1945 the club returned to the name SPAL and to the light blue and white kits.

In the early stages of 1962–63 season, in which the club finished in eighth place, the white and blues reached the top of the league table.

[7] In the summer of 2012, after suffering a second bankruptcy, the club was refounded for the second time as Real SPAL and would begin life in Serie D[8] under the same N.O.I.F.

Giacomense, a club founded in 1967 at Masi San Giacomo, a frazione of Masi Torello, had moved to the city of Ferrara; on 12 July 2013, owner Roberto Benasciutti made a deal with the Colombarini family for a merger between SPAL and Giacomense, with the latter giving its sports title to SPAL and continuing to play in Ferrara.

2013, in order to continue the football history of the whiteblues, then they took back the original denomination of S.P.A.L.. Walter Mattioli became president, with Simone and Francesco Colombarini as main shareholders.

The club had mixed fortunes in the 2019–20 season and, after gaining just 15 points in 23 games, coach Leonardo Semplici was dismissed in February 2020, replaced by Luigi Di Biagio.

[15] On January 25, 2024, Tacopina revealed the name of the new co-owner of the club, American broker and businessman Marcello Follano, with whom he founded a new parent company controlling SPAL, Tacollano Holdings LLC.

The team's badge features an oval-shaped light blue escutcheon, with a white band in the upper section, on which is written the acronym S.P.A.L.

[17] SPAL's most common nicknames are Biancazzurri (from the club colours, light blue and white) and Estensi (from the House of Este, ancient European noble dynasty that ruled Ferrara from 1264 to 1598).

The stadium was opened in September 1928 as Stadio Comunale, then took on its current name in February 1982, in honour of the former president of the club Paolo Mazza, who died two months earlier.

[19] Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply.

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply.

[32] Below is a table showing the recordmen of matches played and goals scored for SPAL in the Italian football leagues.