Watching Football in London: Every Stadium, Derby & Best Pubs

No city on earth does football like London. On a single Saturday you could watch Champions League contenders at the Emirates, a fierce Championship derby south of the river, and a £7 non-league cup tie in the suburbs, all within the M25. This is the only guide you need to plan it: every ground worth visiting, the derbies that define the city, and the one pub each set of fans actually drinks in before kick-off.

If you just want to see what's on while you're here, jump straight to the London fixtures list and filter by date. Otherwise, read on.

How many football clubs are there in London?

London has more professional football clubs than any other city in the world, well over a dozen across the top four divisions, plus a thriving non-league scene below that. In the 2026-27 season the capital fields six clubs in or around the Premier League picture (Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Brentford), three in the Championship (Queens Park Rangers, Millwall, West Ham, and Charlton Athletic), and a cluster more in League One and below.

That density is the whole point of a football trip to London: you're never more than a short Tube ride from a match.

Which Premier League grounds can you visit in London?

These are the big-name stadiums most visitors come for. Each one has its own full matchday guide on Football Finder with transport, seating and tickets, the links below take you straight there.

Arsenal: Emirates Stadium (Holloway, N7)

A 60,704-seat modern bowl in Holloway, north London, three minutes' walk from Arsenal station on the Piccadilly line. Slick, loud on the big European nights, and one of the easiest grounds in the city to reach. We've written a full Emirates Stadium matchday guide covering tickets, seating and pre-match pubs. Start there if Arsenal is your match. You can also check Arsenal fixtures and compare Arsenal tickets.

Tottenham Hotspur: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (N17)

Arguably the best stadium in the country: a 62,850-capacity arena in Tottenham, N17, with a single-tier South Stand wall of noise and a retractable pitch hiding an NFL field underneath. Nearest stations are White Hart Lane (Overground) and Seven Sisters/Tottenham Hale (Victoria line). See Tottenham fixtures and the stadium guide.

West Ham: London Stadium (Stratford, E20)

The 62,500-capacity former Olympic Stadium in Stratford, E20, a five-minute walk from Stratford station (Jubilee, Central, Elizabeth line and national rail, one of the best-connected grounds in London). Roomy, athletics-track sightlines, brilliant transport. Browse West Ham fixtures and the London Stadium guide.

Chelsea: Stamford Bridge (Fulham, SW6)

Just over 40,000 seats, tucked into Fulham, SW6, with Fulham Broadway (District line) right on the doorstep. The most central of the big grounds and the easiest to combine with a day in town. Check Chelsea fixtures and the Stamford Bridge guide.

Crystal Palace: Selhurst Park (SE25)

The cult favourite. Around 25,500 fans crammed into a tight, old-school ground in south London's SE25, with the Holmesdale Road end generating the best atmosphere in the Premier League. Selhurst, Thornton Heath and Norwood Junction stations all serve it. See Crystal Palace fixtures and the Selhurst Park guide.

Fulham: Craven Cottage (SW6)

The most beautiful ground in London and the oldest still in use, on the banks of the Thames in Fulham. The new Riverside Stand pushed capacity to around 29,600 in 2025, but the wooden Johnny Haynes Stand and riverside walk keep the old-world charm. Putney Bridge (District line) is a 10-minute stroll away. Browse Fulham fixtures and the Craven Cottage guide.

Brentford: Gtech Community Stadium (TW8)

West London's newest ground: a tight, modern 17,250-seat stadium in Brentford, a short walk from Kew Bridge station. Punchy atmosphere, great craft beer, easy away day. See Brentford fixtures and the Gtech Community Stadium guide.

What are the biggest London derbies?

Half the fun of London football is the rivalries. The fixture list throws up a derby almost every week, and the atmosphere at these dwarfs an ordinary league game.

The North London Derby: Arsenal vs Tottenham is the marquee fixture, two giants three miles apart who genuinely can't stand each other. The West London Derby usually means Chelsea vs Fulham or Chelsea vs Brentford, geographic neighbours with very different histories. South of the river, Crystal Palace vs Millwall and Crystal Palace vs Brighton carry real edge.

And then there's the Dockers' Derby: Millwall vs West Ham, one of English football's most storied and most volatile rivalries, finally back on the calendar with both clubs near each other in the table. We've broken the whole thing down in our Millwall vs West Ham rivalry guide if you want the history before you go.

Can you watch lower-league and non-league football in London?

Absolutely! and for many visitors it's the highlight. The atmosphere is rawer, the tickets are a fraction of the price, and you stand a real chance of a pint with home fans who'll happily explain why their club is the only one that matters.

In the Championship, Queens Park Rangers play at the famously tight Loftus Road in Shepherd's Bush (W12, near White City and Shepherd's Bush Market stations); Millwall are at The Den in Bermondsey (SE16, South Bermondsey station); and Charlton Athletic occupy The Valley in SE7. See what's on via the QPR, Millwall and Charlton fixture pages. This season West Ham will come back to the Championship after 14 years in the Premier League.

Down in League One, Leyton Orient host games at Brisbane Road (a charming 9,241-capacity ground in E10, a two-minute walk from Leyton tube), and AFC Wimbledon, the fan-owned club reborn after the original was moved to Milton Keynes, and one of our favourites clubs, play at the smart new Plough Lane, back in the borough where they belong. Bromley, newly promoted as League Two champions, play at Hayes Lane in the south London suburbs, a short ride from Bromley South station. And Luton Town, our COO's favourite team, just outside the capital in Bedfordshire, are barely 25 minutes by fast train from St Pancras, so their wonderfully old-school Kenilworth Road, with its away end you enter through someone's back garden, is well worth the trip.

Over in League Two, Barnet are the club to know. They play at The Hive Stadium (capacity 6,500) up in Edgware, north-west London, a few minutes' walk from Canons Park on the Jubilee line, about as easy a lower-league away day as London offers, and just down the road from the Silver Jubilee Park ground in our £7 Brent derby guide.

For non-league, Dulwich Hamlet at Champion Hill in East Dulwich is the cult pick, craft beer, a famously progressive crowd, and proper terrace atmosphere for under a tenner. And if you want to go right to the bottom of the pyramid, read our account of a £7 Brent derby at Silver Jubilee Park, where Edgware & Kingsbury hosted Wembley FC in English football's ninth tier. It's the cheapest, friendliest football day out in the city.

Where's the best pub for each London club?

Every London club has a spiritual home, the pub that fills with home shirts two hours before kick-off. Here's the one to head for at each ground, with a few central options at the end for anyone who just wants to watch the games over a pint.

• Arsenal:

  The Tollington: An Arsenal-only institution a short walk from the Emirates, walls covered in history and eight screens. (Pubs near the Emirates)

• Tottenham:

  The Bricklayers Arms is the classic Spurs pre-match pub, though it's heaving by kick-off; No.8 Tottenham (the old Bell & Hare) is just as close with shorter bar queues. (Pubs near Tottenham)

• West Ham:

  The Cow in Stratford is so close to the London Stadium you can feel the buzz; for tradition, the gorgeous Victorian Boleyn Tavern near the old Upton Park ground is still claret-and-blue to the core. (Pubs near the London Stadium)

• Chelsea:

  The Butcher's Hook, the pub where Chelsea FC was literally founded in 1905, sits right outside the Bridge; for a refined pre-match pint try the Fox & Pheasant just behind the ground. (Pubs near Stamford Bridge)

• Crystal Palace:

  The Clifton Arms is the beating heart of Palace matchdays, with the Cherry Tree near the station a lively back-up. (Pubs near Selhurst Park)

• Fulham:

  The Golden Lion for a proper matchday buzz, or the riverside Crabtree if you want the Thames-side stroll that makes Craven Cottage special. (Pubs near Craven Cottage)

• Brentford:

  The Griffin and The Globe are the essential Bees locals; arrive early because both pack out fast. (Pubs near the Gtech)

• QPR:

  The Crown & Sceptre and the bars around Shepherd's Bush Green are the Loftus Road pre-match staples.

Where to watch football in central London

Not going to a game, or just want to catch every match on a screen? These central pubs and sports bars show all the football and get a proper crowd:

• The Admiralty (Trafalgar Square)

  about as central as London gets, big screens throughout, all the Premier League and European games.

• The Porterhouse (Covent Garden)

  towering multi-floor Irish bar with screens everywhere and its own beers on tap.

• Greenwood (Victoria)

  a huge venue with 20 big screens that goes off on the big match days.

• The Famous Three Kings (West Kensington)

  a legendary London sports pub showing football from across the globe.

• BOXPARK (Shoreditch, Croydon & Wembley)

  communal big-screen viewing with street food; unbeatable for a big England or final night.

• And many more, almost in every corner.

How do I get tickets to a London match?

Demand varies wildly. Premier League games at Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham sell out to members long before general sale, so tourists are usually best going through official hospitality or a reputable resale platform. You can compare prices for any club on Football Finder's ticket pages. Championship and lower-league tickets, by contrast, are cheap and often available through the clubs' websites.

Whatever you're after, a 62,000-seat Premier League cathedral or a £7 cup tie in the ninth tier, start with the full London fixtures list, pick your match, and we'll handle the stadium, the pub and the tickets from there.

Frequently asked questions

How many football clubs are there in London? London has more professional clubs than any other city in the world, over a dozen across the top four divisions, plus a large non-league scene. In 2026-27 that includes six clubs in or around the Premier League (Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Fulham and Brentford), four in the Championship (QPR, West Ham, Millwall and Charlton), and several more in League One and below.

What are the biggest London derbies? The North London Derby (Arsenal vs Tottenham) is the marquee fixture. Others include the West London Derby (Chelsea vs Fulham or Brentford), Crystal Palace vs Millwall, and the historic Dockers' Derby — Millwall vs West Ham.

Can you watch lower-league football in London? Yes, and it's often the best-value day out. Championship clubs QPR, Millwall and Charlton, League One's Leyton Orient and AFC Wimbledon, and non-league sides like Dulwich Hamlet all play across the city, with tickets a fraction of Premier League prices and frequently available on the day.

What's the best pub near each London stadium? The Tollington for Arsenal, The Bricklayers Arms for Tottenham, The Cow for West Ham, The Butcher's Hook for Chelsea, The Clifton Arms for Crystal Palace, The Golden Lion for Fulham, and The Griffin for Brentford. For watching any game in central London, try The Admiralty, The Porterhouse or Greenwood.

How do I get tickets to a London match? Premier League games at the biggest clubs sell out to members before general sale, so visitors usually go through official hospitality or a reputable resale platform. Championship and lower-league tickets are cheap and often available on the day. Compare options on the London fixtures list.

Planning a wider trip? Pair this with our Emirates Stadium guide for Arsenal and the Millwall vs West Ham rivalry guide for the real south London edge.