Shan Utd

Kanbawza was founded in 2003, played as an amateur club in the Myanmar Premier League, the highest football league in Myanmar at the time. The club's first manager was Myo Win Nyunt; its first coach was Ye Nyunt. The club won the 2007 Myanmar Premier League title and participated in the AFC President's Cup 2008 tournament.

Kanbawza was a founding member of the Myanmar National League, which succeeded the Myanmar Premier League in 2009. In the process, the club changed its status from amateur to professional, and changed its home base from Yangon to Taunggyi.

The first professional manager was Aye Maung Gyi, who also served as head coach in the club first era in the inaugural league. The former captain of the Myanmar national team, Soe Myat Min, became Kanbawza's first captain, and the most expensive player in the Myanmar National League. The club has also signed other Myanmar international football team players.

In its first-ever professional football match, Kanbawza won by 3 goals over Okktha United. Sa Htet Naing scored the team's first goal and defender Khin Maung Lwin won the Man of the Match award, scoring the team's other two goals. Kanbawza finished fourth in the league's inaugural cup competition, the Myanmar National League Cup 2009. In February 2010, former finance and revenue team manager, Khin Maung Kyaing took control the club as chief executive officer. In 2012, it finished as League runners-up.

In 2015, Kanbawza changed its name to Shan United. The club went on to win their first ever professional piece of silverware in 2017 winning both the 2017 Myanmar National League title and the 2017 General Aung San Shield which sees them qualified for next season 2018 AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs playing against Ceres–Negros of Philippines but the club lost on penalties shoot-out and was bowed down to the 2018 AFC Cup group stage where they also were knockout for finishing last in the group. Shan United went on to become back to back league champions in 2019 and 2020 which see them winning the 2019 and 2020 MFF Charity Cup thus qualifying to the 2019 and 2020 AFC Cup. Shan United went on to win the 2022 Myanmar National League being undefeated and thus qualifying them to the 2023–24 AFC Cup.

In 2024, Shan United then qualified to the inaugural 2024–25 AFC Challenge League and also the recently revived tournament, the 2024–25 ASEAN Club Championship where they won Bruneian club Kasuka 4–2 on aggregate to qualified to the group stage, being placed alongside Indonesian club PSM Makassar, Vietnamese club Đông Á Thanh Hóa, Malaysian club Terengganu, Cambodian club Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng and Thailand club BG Pathum United. Shan United and Đông Á Thanh Hóa played the opening match of the tournament at the Thanh Hóa Stadium on 21 August where club player, Moussa Bakayoko scored the first goal of the tournament in the fifth minute, however Shan United went on to lose 3–1 against the Vietnamese side. Shan United then hosted the 2024–25 AFC Challenge League Group D fixtures alongside Taiwanese club Tainan City and Laotian club Young Elephants. Shan United manage to top the group beating Young Elephants 2–0 and drawing 2–2 with Tainan City which then see the club advance to the quarter-finals facing off against Cambodian side Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng.