North London Derby
A battle for North London supremacy that began when Arsenal moved into Tottenham's territory in 1913.
The North London derby is the meeting of the association football clubs Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur, both 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 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. 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.
- Location
- North London, England
- Competitors
- Tottenham Hotspur & Arsenal FC
- Rivalry Nature
- Geographic and Sporting
- Status
- Active
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
The rivalry escalated in 1919 when, after World War I, the First Division was to be expanded by two teams. Arsenal won a vote for the second spot by eighteen votes to Spurs' eight, despite finishing sixth in Division Two. The decision infuriated Tottenham and their supporters. It has been frequently alleged that Arsenal chairman Sir Henry Norris used underhand dealings, although nothing has been proven. The first fully competitive derby match after Arsenal's 1913 move to north London was a First Division match that finished 2–1 to Tottenham, on 15 January 1921 at White Hart Lane. Early matches were noted for their bitterness; a particularly vicious match in September 1922 led to both clubs being censured by the Football Association and threatened with being forced to play behind closed doors. In 1935 Arsenal registered its biggest ever win over Spurs in a 6–0 rout away at White Hart Lane, a result that remains the biggest win by any team in the derby. Relations improved somewhat after the Second World War, after Tottenham allowed Arsenal to play their home matches at White Hart Lane while Highbury was requisitioned as an ARP station and subsequently bombed.
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
The fixture's top scorer is Harry Kane with fourteen goals, having overtaken Bobby Smith and Emmanuel Adebayor, who have ten goals each. 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. Players who transfer between the two teams receive a bad reception from their former fans; an example was defender Sol Campbell, who was nicknamed 'Judas' by Tottenham fans after he crossed the divide in 2001. Arsenal's Theo Walcott, after picking up a knee injury in the 83rd minute of a FA Cup third round tie against Tottenham in January 2014, was pelted with a hail of coins and plastic bottles whilst coming off the field on a stretcher by Tottenham fans at the Emirates Stadium. An investigation was eventually made with regard to the perpetrators by the authorities.
Did You Know?
- The first meeting between the two teams was a friendly on 19 November 1887, abandoned 15 minutes early 'owing to darkness' with Spurs winning 2–1.
- In 1898, a record crowd of 15,000 attended a match at Spurs' Northumberland Park ground, and the refreshment stand collapsed when spectators climbed onto its roof, prompting Spurs to start looking for a new ground.
- The first League match between the clubs was on 4 December 1909; Arsenal won 1–0.
- Arsenal's 6–0 win at White Hart Lane in 1935 remains the biggest win by any team in the derby.
- The first North London derby held outside the UK took place at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong on 31 July 2025, won by Tottenham.