Chelsea FC

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Overall, Arsenal have won more games in the rivalry's history, having won 87 times to Chelsea's 66, with 62 draws as of match played on 1 March 2026. Arsenal's record win was a 5–0 victory in a Premier League match at Emirates Stadium on 23 April 2024, and Chelsea's record win was a 6–0 victory at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on 22 March 2014. Didier Drogba holds the mark for the most derby goals with 13 in all competitions. The clubs have contested five major finals: the 2002 FA Cup final, which Arsenal won 2–0, the 2007 League Cup final, which Chelsea won 2–1, the 2017 FA Cup final, which Arsenal won 2–1, the 2019 Europa League final, which Chelsea won 4–1, and the 2020 FA Cup final, which Arsenal won 2–1. As of the 2025–26 season, at least 13 direct transfers have taken place between Arsenal and Chelsea since the start of the Premier League era.

In Their Own Story

Memorable matches include Robin van Persie's late hat-trick on 29 October 2011, where Arsenal came from behind twice to win 5–3 at Stamford Bridge. On 27 December 2010, Chelsea ended a five-match losing streak with a 13–2 aggregate goal difference record before Arsenal won 3–1. Arsène Wenger's 1,000th game in charge on 22 March 2014 saw Chelsea inflict their heaviest margin of defeat, winning 6–0 inside the first 15 minutes. A touchline fracas between managers occurred on 5 October 2014 when Cesc Fàbregas assisted Diego Costa's goal; Wenger eventually secured his first win against José Mourinho in 12 attempts via a 1–0 victory in the 2015 FA Community Shield. In the 2017 FA Cup final, Arsenal won 2–1 to claim their record 13th trophy, while Chelsea defeated them 4–1 in the 2019 Europa League final, marking Petr Čech's last career match.

Reader's Guide

According to an internet survey of fans in December 2003, the Arsenal fans who responded to the survey said that they considered Chelsea as their third rival, after Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. Those Chelsea fans who responded to the survey said that they considered Arsenal as their main rival, however Tottenham and Fulham are their more traditional rivals. In a 2008 survey by the Football Fans Census, Arsenal fans named Chelsea as the club they disliked the most, ahead of their traditional rivals Tottenham. Chelsea fans have named Arsenal as their second-most disliked club, behind Liverpool. A 2014 Bleacher Report article ranks Arsenal as Chelsea's second-most hated rival.

Did You Know?

• The first league meeting between the two teams took place on 9 November 1907 at Stamford Bridge, drawing a crowd of 65,000.
• A match at Stamford Bridge in 1935 drew a crowd of 82,905, the second highest recorded attendance for an English league match.
• The 2007 Football League Cup final was dubbed the 'Snarling Cup final' by the media due to a fracas involving Frank Lampard, Cesc Fàbregas and others.
• On 22 March 2014, Chelsea won 6–0 in Arsène Wenger's 1,000th game in charge, with notable incidents including a three-goal lead inside 15 minutes and the sending off of Kieran Gibbs for a handball by Alex Oxlade-Chamberl
• On 29 October 2011, Arsenal won 5–3 at Stamford Bridge after coming from behind twice, with Robin van Persie scoring a hat-trick.