By Andy Marston, Sports Pundit
Arsenal and Tottenham are taking their rivalry global, facing off in the first-ever North London Derby held outside the UK. The match takes place on July 31, 2025, at Hong Kong’s new 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium.
It headlines the Hong Kong Football Festival - also featuring Liverpool and AC Milan - and marks Arsenal’s return to the region after a 13-year absence.
This move fits squarely into both clubs’ global growth strategies and follows a growing trend of exporting high-profile fixtures, echoing examples like El Clásico in Las Vegas and the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia (as highlighted by Football Business Journal).
Asia-Pacific is home to over half of all Premier League fans, with 386 million viewers in Southeast Asia alone during the 2021/22 season.
Spurs have 80 million fans across Asia and a shirt sponsor, AIA, headquartered in Hong Kong. Arsenal were early to platforms like TMall and WeChat, building a strong digital presence in China.
Why It Matters:
This is a sharp play to build deeper local ties in one of the league’s most engaged regions. By staging a story-rich rivalry like the North London Derby in Hong Kong, Arsenal and Spurs are delivering high-impact experiences to fans, expanding sponsor value, and strengthening their position in a market with strong appetite for Premier League content.
While competitors on the pitch, both clubs are showing how football rivalries can be turned into globally resonant moments with real business and brand upside.
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