Officially PFC CSKA Moskva is not a section of the military CSKA sports club, but the Russian Ministry of Defense is one of shareholders of PFC CSKA.

It won the Soviet championship seven times (1946, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1951, 1970, 1991), silver 1938, 1945, 1949, 1990, bronze 1939, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1964, 1965; the Soviet Cup five times (1945, 1948, 1951, 1955, 1991); the Russian Cup in 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009; won the Russian Premier League champions title in 2003, 2005 and 2006, finishing second in 1998, 2002, 2004 and 2008, bronze 1999, 2007, and the Russian Super Cup in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2009.

Back in 2004, the club received a major financial infusion from a sponsorship deal with Sibneft, an oil company owned by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich. Abramovich did not take an ownership interest in the club as he was the owner of English Premiership power Chelsea and UEFA rules allow only one club controlled by any one entity (person or corporation) to participate in European club competition in a given season. The partnership with Sibneft lasted until 2006, when VTB became the sponsor of the club. CSKA started 2009 without a shirt sponsor.

CSKA Moscow won the 2005 UEFA Cup by beating Sporting CP 3–1 in the Final on Sporting's home field in Lisbon. It became the first Russian club to win a major European title, as well as the first one to complete a treble.

In 2010, the club is due to move into a new stadium.