Tottenham’s Rivals: The Biggest Derbies for the Lilywhites

Tottenham Hotspur are a club with a long list of rivalries to choose from. However, some of Spurs' biggest rivals might surprise you. Keep reading to find out who they are and how you can watch These unmissable matches from premium seats.

Last Updated: 15/06/23 at 11:48

Tottenham Hotspur were founded in North London, in 1882. Their first honours came in the 1900/01 season when they won the FA Cup. They are the first and only team ever to win the FA Cup while playing non-league football.  

Spurs were the first team ever to achieve the League and Cup double, winning both competitions in the 1960/61 season. Two years later in 1963, they became the first English club to win a European competition, winning the UEFA Cup Winners Cup.

They were also the inaugural winners of the UEFA Cup (Europa League) in 1972, making them the first English club to win 2 major European cup competitions. The club won at least 1 piece of silverware in every decade from 1950 to 2000, an achievement matched only by Manchester United.

Tottenham are the 6th most successful team in English football history, winning 26 major trophies, including 2 League Titles, 8 FA Cups and 4 League Cups.

As well as trophies, one thing that Spurs are not short on is rivals. The North London club have formed many over the years, with both domestic disputes and long-distance foes. Keep reading to find out who they are, and how you can watch all the drama unfold from the benefit of a premium matchday seat, with Seat Unique.

Manchester City

Games: 166 | Wins: 65 | Draws: 36 | Losses: 65

Manchester City's rivalry with Tottenham Hotspur is a relatively new one compared to others on this list. With the Sky Blues' rise to prominence in the late 2000s, a rivalry has also grown between the two clubs. The rivalry began with a heated top 4 battle in the 2009/10 season. Spurs came out on top thanks to an 82nd-minute Peter Crouch header.

The conflict intensified when the two teams met in the 2018/19 Champions League Quarter finals. Tottenham won their home leg 1-0 and lost the away tie 4-3, but advanced to the next round over City due to the away goals rule. The second game was tense and hostile, with Manchester City being denied a dramatic last-minute winner due to a VAR review.

In the seasons since, Manchester City have had huge success, winning an assortment of silverware. However, in games between the two, Tottenham seem to always be able to get the edge up on City, further fuelling their rivalry.

Burnley

Games: 122 | Wins: 52 | Draws: 28 | Losses: 42

In the modern day, it would be hard to see Tottenham and Burney as rivals. However, there was a period of time when the two clubs were in direct competition for the top trophies in the English game.

The rivalry started when Tottenham beat Burnley in the 1962 FA Cup final, and then the Lancashire side knocked Spurs out the following year, winning 3-0. In 1964, hostilities grew when Burney annihilated the Lilywhites 7-2 at turf moor, as Bill Nicholson’s juggernaut squad reached its end.

Double-winning Spurs legend Cliff Jones said: “Back then we were the teams to watch. It was the glory years for Tottenham but also for Burnley”, when talking to Tottenham about the rivalry with Burnley in the ’60s.

There may not be as much hostility between these two clubs as others on this list, but there was definitely fierce competition between them that has almost been forgotten over time. Could the rivalry heat up again as Burnely make it back into the Premier League?

Chelsea

Games: 174 | Wins: 55 | Draws: 42 | Losses: 77

The rivalry between Tottenham and Chelsea is one that is well-known among English football fans. With both clubs located in London, it was inevitable that a rivalry would form in a battle for local bragging rights.

The first noted hostilities between these two teams came in 1967 when they competed in the first ever all-London FA Cup final, dubbed ‘The Cockney Cup Final’. Spurs emerged victorious, beating their local counterparts 2-1. The two teams have been locked in battle ever since.

The rivalry intensified in the 1970s, when Tottenham had a hand in relegating Chelsea down to the old Division 2, beating them 2-0 in the third-last game of the season to seemingly seal their fate. When the West London side got promoted back to Division 1 a few years later, the tensions were obvious between the two sides.

The rivalry came to a head in 2016, in a 2-2 draw at Stamford Bridge that ended Tottenham's title hopes. The game is famous for the numerous violent challenges, resulting in 9 yellow cards for Spurs (a new league record), and a huge clash between the two teams after the game. The game was later dubbed ‘The Battle of the Bridge.’

West Ham

Games: 220 | Wins: 100 | Draws: 54 | Losses: 66

Tottenham’s rivalry with West Ham is another natural-born rivalry, with both teams being located in London. The rivalry between the two is a fierce hatred that stems not only from their close proximity, but also from a number of players that Spurs have signed away from West Ham, including Scott Parker and Jermaine Defoe.

While the on-field rivalry between the two clubs is often one-sided, as Spurs have always been a far superior club to the Hammers, the fans of both clubs have developed a deep-rooted hatred of one another. The game is often referred to by Spurs fans as West Ham’s ‘Cup Final’, in a jibe that winning the game is the Hammers' only chance of success in a season.

The rivalry boiled over in 2006 when West Ham beat Tottenham to stop them from getting into the Champions League, with local rivals Arsenal qualifying instead.

With Tottenham still fighting for qualification to Europe's top competition and West Ham fighting to break into the top 8, the clubs are not in direct competition, but their rivalry is still as volatile as ever.

Arsenal

Games: 206 | Wins: 67 | Draws: 54 | Losses: 85

The last rivalry on this list is by far the biggest and most heated for Tottenham. The first game between Tottenham and Arsenal was a 1-0 win for the Gunners in 1909. However, the rivalry was born 4 years later when Arsenal relocated from their Southeast London Stadium and took up residency in North London, where Spurs were located.

The move resulted in one of world football's most intense and fierce rivalries, with games between the two now called ‘The North London Derby’ and both sets of fans holding a deep-rooted hatred for each other. The rivalry first intensified when Arsenal were selected to be added to the old First Division over Spurs - even though the Lilywhite's finished 4 places above the Gunners.

The hatred between the two clubs skyrocketed in 2001 when Tottenham captain Sol Campbell left Spurs to join their North London foes, with Campbell being labelled ‘Judas’ and leaving a lasting bitterness towards him from Spurs fans

The two clubs have been locked in competition for Champions League qualification for the last 14 years, and games between the two are always some of the most hostile of the Premier League season. The rivalry between the two is one that always has been and always will be one of the biggest in English football.

These games are some of the most popular games of the season for Spurs fans, meaning that tickets will be highly sought after and difficult to buy. Why not skip the queues and waiting lists and opt for a luxury experience with Seat Unique?

With VIP and Hospitality packages at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium such as The Travel Club and Stratus, you can watch the drama unfold with unrivalled views from your luxury padded seat.

Seat Unique is proud to work with Tottenham Hotspur to open fan access to premium hospitality tickets to all of the best Spurs fixtures.