FC Gelsenkirchen-Schalke 04 e.V., commonly known as FC Schalke 04, is a historic German football club based in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia. The club traces its origins to 4 May 1904, when it was founded as Westfalia Schalke, and adopted the name FC Schalke 04 in 1924. Schalke is one of Germany's most successful and widely supported football clubs, having won seven German championships, five DFB-Pokal titles and the UEFA Cup in 1997. The club was among the founding members of the Bundesliga in 1963. Schalke's professional football operations are centred around the VELTINS-Arena, while its renowned youth academy, the Knappenschmiede, plays a major role in developing young footballers. The club also operates the Knappen-Fußballschule and has activities in esports and other sporting and community areas. As a registered association, FC Schalke 04 remains member-based rather than being controlled by an external investor or ownership group. The club states that it has more than 150,000 members, making it one of Germany's largest sporting organisations. Beyond football, Schalke maintains a strong social commitment through its foundation, Schalke hilft!, which supports community and social projects. The club's identity is closely connected with Gelsenkirchen and the wider Ruhr region, where its history is rooted in working-class football culture. Schalke continues to combine its traditional member-owned structure and distinctive supporter culture with professional sporting, commercial, youth-development and digital operations.