Football Club Napredak was founded in Krusevac on December 8, 1946, through the merger of three existing local clubs – 14. Oktobar, Badza, and Zakic.
The club played its first official match in January 1947 against the team Makedonija. The final score was 1:1, and the first goal in the club’s history was scored by Marko Valok, who later became Belgrade’s Partizan player.

In 1949, Napredak became the champion of Serbia and secured participation to the First Federal League.

At the end of its debut season in the top division, the club finished in last place and was relegated to what was then known as the Fourth Zone. From the 1958/59 season onward, Napredak competed in the Second Federal League.

On May 30, 1976, Napredak once again earned promotion to the top tier of Yugoslav football, thanks to 8:2 victory against Rad. In that match, Jovica Škoro – who would later become Napredak’s coach – scored four goals, Jakovljevic added three, and Cuslovic contributed one. That season, the team consisted of Vladimir Milosavljevic, Zoran Simovic, Jovan Djordjevic, Mladja Radovanovic, Petar Tripkovic, Dragan Tomic, Kosta Radovanovic, Milo Nikinovic, Dragisa Ilic, Milorad Jovanovic, Jovica Skoro, Pavle Jevtic, Dragisa Suslovic, Dusan Pesic, Milomir Jakovljevic, Bratislav Milicevic, Predrag Bubanja, Dragan Carapic, and Nebojsa Karamarkovic. The team was coached by Dragan Bojovic. Ahead of the following season, the team was strengthened by Dusan Cosic, Dragoljub Kostic, Zoran Vuletic, and Milenko Rajkovic. In the First League, the team was led by coach Vladica Popovic, but Napredak was relegated in the lower tier again after just one season.

Napredak made a swift return to the First League the very next season, and in the 1978/79 season, secured its place thanks to a crucial goalless draw in the final round against Sloboda in Tuzla (0:0).

That same season, Napredak defeated Partizan 3:0 at the JNA Stadium in Belgrade. The players who featured in that match were: Simovic, Momirovic, Pesterac (Vuletic), Hristovski, Babic, Karamarkovic, Jakovljevic, Jovanovic (Pesic), Tomic, Komljenovic, and Tripkovic.

In the 1979/80 season, under the guidance of coach Toma Kaloperović, the club achieved the greatest success in its history – qualifying for the UEFA Cup. In the first round, Napredak faced Dynamo Dresden, a challenge that would prove too strong for the team. The German side won both matches 1:0, bringing Napredak’s European competition to an end.

The players who featured in the matches against Dynamo were: Dragan Eric, Pesterac, Jasarevic, Karamarkovic, Juricko, Tupajic, Jovanovic, Kostic, and Panic. The head coach at the time was Mihic Milenko.

During the 1990s, Napredak hovered between the First and Second Leagues.
In the 1999/2000 season, the club recorded its greatest domestic success which is the final of the Yugoslav Cup. On the road to the final, Napredak eliminated Sloga Kraljevo, Zupa, Rad, Mogren, Zeleznik, and Zemun. The final match was held in Belgrade, where Red Star defeated Napredak 4:0.
The players who featured in that final were: Krnjinac, Atanaskovic, Antic, Krstic, Mijatovic, Zajic, Vidojevic, Dragnjevic, Stefanovic, Kojicic, and Filipovic.

By reaching the cup final, Napredak secured participation in the UEFA Cup in 2000.
In the qualifying round, the team defeated Tulevik from Estonia (5:1 in Kruševac, 1:1 away), before being eliminated in the first round by OFI from Crete (0:0 at home, 0:6 away).

From 2007 to 2010, Napredak competed in the Serbian SuperLiga, and since 2010, the club has been playing in the Serbian First League.

At the beginning of 2012, Marko Miskovic, a successful businessman, took over the management of the club together with his team of associates.
Napredak competed in the Serbian SuperLiga during the 2012/13 and 2013/14 seasons. In the 2015/16 season, the club played in the Serbian First League but made a swift return to the top tier after just one year – where it continues to compete to this day.

At the Electoral Assembly held on September 30, 2020, Milos Nenezic was appointed President of the Board of Directors. A long-standing figure in sports and management, he is also a respected businessman, General Director of Trajal Corporation, and President of the Employers’ Union of Serbia.