For the first time in its 116-year history, the iconic North London Derby between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur will take place far from its United Kingdom roots, in Hong Kong, nearly 6,000 miles away.
The fierce rivalry between the two Premier League giants will headline the Hong Kong Football Festival this Thursday in a landmark preseason friendly.
The match is set to be held at the city’s newly unveiled 50,000-capacity Kai Tak Stadium, with attendance expected to set a new record for football matches in the region.
While the clash is classified as a friendly, both camps acknowledge the significance of the occasion.
“Of course, it’s a friendly, but there’s more to it,” new Spurs boss Thomas Frank told CNN ahead of the game.
“It’s a great development for a historic fixture. Of course, traditions are hugely important. But I also think the world is developing, and we want to come out here and embrace our fans. It doesn’t get any bigger than playing against Arsenal.”
Arsenal’s manager Mikel Arteta, who is eager to see how his latest acquisition, striker Viktor Gyökeres, performs in his debut season, echoed similar sentiments.
“It was a brilliant idea to bring all that tradition, history and rivalry to Hong Kong,” he said.
Despite widespread enthusiasm across Asia for the clubs’ pre-season tours, the decision to hold such a storied match overseas has sparked mixed reactions.
Traditionally held in London, the North London Derby has only ever left the city once and never the country.
The move is seen by some as a sign of the sport’s growing global reach and commercialization, while others worry it dilutes the rivalry’s authenticity.
“If I put my London hat on, it’s a bit strange,” said Myles Pyne, a Hong Kong native and Arsenal season ticket holder now living in London.
“The derby over the years has seen so many red cards and flashpoints, and players are absolutely pumped up before the game. You’re not going to get that same needle. Of all the teams they could have picked for a pre-season game, this one feels like it’s ruining the sanctity (of the derby) a little bit.”
“But if I put my Hong Kong hat on, it’s awesome,” he added, noting that many local fans would never otherwise witness a North London Derby in person.
Billy Ip, who heads the Hong Kong Tottenham supporters’ club, voiced a similar inner conflict.
“It’s a bit of both, you want to experience the derby in London, and of course some will want to keep it there,” he said.
“But some of us can’t afford to travel to London to watch any football match at all, let alone the North London Derby. It’s a good chance to experience the vibes of such a high-level match outside of Europe.
“Putting big games on in big cities is a trend to commercialize more. It’s part and parcel of the game now.”
Adam Ng of the Arsenal supporters’ club in Hong Kong emphasized the moment’s importance for fans in the region.
“It’s so meaningful to us that they are visiting. This could be once-in-a-lifetime for us overseas supporters.”
The current attendance record for a football match in Hong Kong, set during a Liverpool vs. AC Milan fixture in the same festival, is expected to be surpassed.
If the event proves successful, organizer TEG Sport believes this could pave the way for more high-profile fixtures in Asia-Pacific.
“The clubs were very much the drivers of wanting to come – we just needed that world-class stadium worthy of hosting such a historic match,” said Rachael Carroll, managing director of TEG Sport.
“I can absolutely say that there are a whole other bunch of clubs around the world, top football clubs, that are watching with interest.”