The location was used as a stone quarry before the first football ground was created on the site in 1911 by HŠK Victoria, a football club based in Sušak (presently part of Rijeka; but at the time a separate town east of the city), and the first football match played at Kantrida was held in 1913, a friendly between Victoria and Građanski Zagreb.

Victoria continued to use the stadium until the end of World War I and the collapse of Austria-Hungary in 1918.
The city of Rijeka was then first declared part of the Italian Regency of Carnaro (1919–1920), then the Free State of Fiume (1920–1924), before being formally annexed by Kingdom of Italy in 1924, which remained unchanged until the end of World War II.
During this period between 1919 and 1945 Victoria's home town of Sušak was located on the other side of the border as it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, so the club was unable to use the ground.

In 1925, the 8,000 capacity stands were built by the newly established local Italian club U.S. Fiumana who went on to use the stadium between 1926 and 1945 while competing in the Italian league system.
The stadium was at the time known as Stadio Comunale del Littorio, but was also commonly referred to as Borgomarina, as this was the Italian name for the neighbourhood.

After World War II the city of Rijeka and its surrounding area became part of SFR Yugoslavia and both Fiumana and Victoria were dissolved in 1945.
A new club called NK Kvarner was established in 1946 to replace them and used the stadium in 1946, before moving to Campo Cellini until 1951.
The club returned to Stadion Kantrida following renovation in 1951 and used it interchangeably with Campo Cellini until the mid-1950s.
NK Kvarner changed their name to NK Rijeka in 1954.
Since the mid-1950s, Stadion Kantrida has served as Rijeka's home ground.

The stadium was renovated twice, in 1951 and 1958.
It formerly had a capacity of 25,000, but in 1999 this was reduced to approximately 10,600 (due to the gradual evolution of UEFA safety standards) and floodlights were installed in 1975.
In August 2012, a new 80m² LED display was installed, the largest in Croatia and one of the ten largest in Europe.
In December 2013, Adamić press published a monograph that accounts for the first one-hundred years of Stadion Kantrida's history.

The final Prva HNL match prior to stadium reconstruction was played on 19 July 2015, when the match between Rijeka and Slaven Belupo ended in a 3–3 draw.

On 27 February 2016, Kantrida hosted a match between HNK Orijent 1919, a fourth tier club from Rijeka, and NK Lošinj, a fellow 4.
HNL club.
The match was played at Kantrida due to a pitch upgrade on Orijent's home ground.
On 23 and 25 March 2016, two 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification matches were played at Kantrida when Croatia hosted Bulgaria (1–0) and Scotland (3–0).
In 2016, Kantrida served as home ground for NK Lokomotiva, a 4.
HNL club from Rijeka.
Since mid-2017, Kantrida hosts ŽNK Rijeka who compete in the 2017–18 Croatian Women's First Football League.
Since August 2018, Kantrida also hosts NK Opatija, who play in the 3.
HNL.
On 8 September 2018, HNK Rijeka returned to Kantrida, where they hosted NK Maribor in a friendly match organised by Armada Rijeka, played in front of capacity crowd of over 10,000.
The location was used as a stone quarry before the first football ground was created on the site in 1911 by HŠK Victoria, a football club based in Sušak (presently part of Rijeka; but at the time a separate town east of the city), and the first football match played at Kantrida was held in 1913, a friendly between Victoria and Građanski Zagreb.
Victoria continued to use the stadium until the end of World War I and the collapse of Austria-Hungary in 1918. The city of Rijeka was then first declared part of the Italian Regency of Carnaro (1919–1920), then the Free State of Fiume (1920–1924), before being formally annexed by Kingdom of Italy in 1924, which remained unchanged until the end of World War II. During this period between 1919 and 1945 Victoria's home town of Sušak was located on the other side of the border as it was incorporated into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, so the club was unable to use the ground.
In 1925, the 8,000 capacity stands were built by the newly established local Italian club U.S. Fiumana who went on to use the stadium between 1926 and 1945 while competing in the Italian league system. The stadium was at the time known as Stadio Comunale del Littorio, but was also commonly referred to as Borgomarina, as this was the Italian name for the neighbourhood.
After World War II the city of Rijeka and its surrounding area became part of SFR Yugoslavia and both Fiumana and Victoria were dissolved in 1945. A new club called NK Kvarner was established in 1946 to replace them and used the stadium in 1946, before moving to Campo Cellini until 1951. The club returned to Stadion Kantrida following renovation in 1951 and used it interchangeably with Campo Cellini until the mid-1950s. NK Kvarner changed their name to NK Rijeka in 1954. Since the mid-1950s, Stadion Kantrida has served as Rijeka's home ground.
The stadium was renovated twice, in 1951 and 1958. It formerly had a capacity of 25,000, but in 1999 this was reduced to approximately 10,600 (due to the gradual evolution of UEFA safety standards) and floodlights were installed in 1975. In August 2012, a new 80m² LED display was installed, the largest in Croatia and one of the ten largest in Europe. In December 2013, Adamić press published a monograph that accounts for the first one-hundred years of Stadion Kantrida's history.
The final Prva HNL match prior to stadium reconstruction was played on 19 July 2015, when the match between Rijeka and Slaven Belupo ended in a 3–3 draw.
On 27 February 2016, Kantrida hosted a match between HNK Orijent 1919, a fourth tier club from Rijeka, and NK Lošinj, a fellow 4. HNL club. The match was played at Kantrida due to a pitch upgrade on Orijent's home ground. On 23 and 25 March 2016, two 2016 UEFA European Under-19 Championship qualification matches were played at Kantrida when Croatia hosted Bulgaria (1–0) and Scotland (3–0). In 2016, Kantrida served as home ground for NK Lokomotiva, a 4. HNL club from Rijeka. Since mid-2017, Kantrida hosts ŽNK Rijeka who compete in the 2017–18 Croatian Women's First Football League. Since August 2018, Kantrida also hosts NK Opatija, who play in the 3. HNL. On 8 September 2018, HNK Rijeka returned to Kantrida, where they hosted NK Maribor in a friendly match organised by Armada Rijeka, played in front of capacity crowd of over 10,000.
Stadion Kantrida