North London Derby
The fiercest rivalry in North London football.
The North London derby is the meeting of the association football clubs Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, both of which are based in North London, England. Fans of both clubs consider the other to be their main rivals, and the derby is one of the most watched derbies in the world. Although the two teams first played each other in 1887, the rivalry did not begin until 1913 when Arsenal moved their ground to North London from Woolwich, south of the River Thames.
- Location
- North London, England
- Competitors
- Tottenham Hotspur & Arsenal FC
- Rivalry Nature
- Geographic and Sporting
- Status
- Active
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
As of 22 February 2026, 199 games have been played between the two teams since their first game in the Football League in 1909, with 86 wins for Arsenal, 62 wins for Tottenham and 52 games drawn. When games played before both joined the Football League are included, 213 games have been played, with Arsenal winning 91, Tottenham 68, and 55 drawn. Notable matches include Arsenal winning the league at White Hart Lane in 1971 and their invincible campaign in 2004, Tottenham beating Arsenal 5–0 at home in 1983 and Arsenal winning by the same score away in 1978, and Tottenham beating Arsenal 3–1 at the semi-final of the 1990–91 FA Cup, which they went on to win. The highest-scoring game is the 5–4 win by Arsenal at White Hart Lane in November 2004. The fixture's top scorer is Harry Kane with fourteen goals, having overtaken Bobby Smith and Emmanuel Adebayor, who have ten goals each. In 1935 Arsenal registered its biggest ever win over Spurs in a 6–0 rout away at White Hart Lane. This 6-0 result remains the biggest win by any team in the derby.
In Their Own Story
Notable matches include Arsenal winning the league at White Hart Lane in 1971 and their invincible campaign in 2004. Tottenham beat Arsenal 5–0 at home in 1983, and Arsenal won by the same score away in 1978. Tottenham beat Arsenal 3–1 at the semi-final of the 1990–91 FA Cup, which they went on to win. The highest-scoring game is the 5–4 win by Arsenal at White Hart Lane in November 2004. On 30 April 2017, Tottenham beat Arsenal 2–0 in the final North London Derby at White Hart Lane, guaranteeing Tottenham finishing above Arsenal in the league for the first time in 22 seasons. Tottenham would then achieve a streak of six consecutive finishes above their rivals from 2016–17 to 2021–22. On 31 July 2025, the first North London derby was held outside of the United Kingdom at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong as part of their pre-season fixtures, won by Tottenham.
Reader's Guide
Arsenal play their home games at the Emirates Stadium in Islington, while Tottenham Hotspur are based at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the neighbouring borough of Haringey. The two stadiums are 4 miles (6.4 km) apart.
Did You Know?
- The first meeting between the two teams was a friendly on 19 November 1887, abandoned 15 minutes early due to darkness with Spurs winning 2–1.
- The rivalry escalated in 1919 when Arsenal were elected to the First Division over Tottenham, a decision that infuriated Tottenham and their supporters.
- Tottenham allowed Arsenal to play their home matches at White Hart Lane while Highbury was requisitioned as an ARP station and subsequently bombed during World War II.
- On 31 July 2025, the first North London derby was held outside of the United Kingdom at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong, won by Tottenham.
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