List of sports rivalries

A sports rivalry is intense competition between athletic teams or athletes, affecting participants,[1] management, and supporters all to varying degrees.

Fisher Stadium's scoreboard in Easton, Pennsylvania following Lafayette College's victory over Lehigh University in the 142nd edition of "The Rivalry" in 2006. The series between the two colleges, which are 17 miles (27 km) away from each other in the Lehigh Valley, is the most-played rivalry in college football history with 157 meetings since 1884.

Fans separated at an Old Firm derby in Glasgow, Scotland

The intensity of the rivalry can range anywhere from a light hearted banter to serious violence. A rivalry that gets out of control can lead to fighting, hooliganism, rioting and some instances with career-ending and even fatal consequences. In the "Football War", along with other factors, it was suggested to have been the tipping point in leading to military conflicts.

Owners have been known to encourage rivalries as they tend to improve game attendance and television ratings for rivalry matches. Clubs can reduce fan aggression surrounding rivalry games by acknowledging rather than downplaying the conflict[2] because the rivalry is an integral part of fan identity.[3]

Games between two rivals that are based in areas of close geographical proximity are often known as a local derby, or simply just a derby (UK: /ˈdɑːrbi/ DAR-bee, US: /ˈdɜːrbi/ DUR-bee); a sporting event between two teams from the same town, city or region. The term is usually connected with association football[4] and the media and supporters will often refer to this fixture as "Derby Day".[5]

The term "derby" possibly originated from the Derby, a horse race in England, founded by the 12th Earl of Derby in 1780. The 19th Earl has since claimed the Derby name was originally only given to one other sporting event: fixtures between St Helens at one end of the family's Knowsley estate and Wigan at the other.[6]

The other theory as to the name's origin involves Shrovetide football, an early, unofficiated version of both association and rugby football. It was first played in the town of Derby prior to Medieval times. From as early as the 12th century it was known to have been played in Ashbourne. It was a chaotic and exuberant affair that involved the whole town, often resulting in fatalities. The goals were at Nuns Mill in the north and the Gallows Balk in the south of the town, and much of the action took place in the River Derwent or the Markeaton Brook. Nominally the players came from All Saints' and St Peter's parishes, but in practice the game was a free-for-all with as many as 1,000 players. A Frenchman who observed a match in 1829 wrote in horror, 'if Englishmen call this play, it would be impossible to say what they call fighting'. Shrovetide football is still an annual event in the town of Ashbourne.[7]

Since at least as early as 1840 'derby' has been used as a noun in English to denote any kind of sporting contest.[8] Other names for derbies include Clásicos in certain parts of the world and crosstown rivalries in the United States.

Rivalries do not always stem from the sharing of an area. Hostilities can occur for different reasons, such as in the case of El Clásico with tensions between fans with a background of historically cultural and political differences. Frequent meetings in important games between teams can also lead to unpleasantries.

International rivalries

Australia–England sports rivalries
Australia–New Zealand sports rivalries
Canada–United States sports rivalries
Japan–South Korea sports rivalries
India–Pakistan sports rivalries
Afghanistan–Pakistan sports rivalries

Association football

Athletics

Individual

1st party	2nd party	Discipline(s)	Timespan	Article	Source
Steve Ovett	Sebastian Coe	Middle-distance running	1978–1986		[9]
Usain Bolt	Tyson Gay	Sprinting	2005–2012		[10]
Asafa Powell	Tyson Gay	Sprinting	2006–		[11]
Dayron Robles	Liu Xiang	Hurdling	2007–2011		[12]
Joan Benoit	Grete Waitz	Marathon	—	—	[13]
Usain Bolt	Justin Gatlin	Sprinting	2012–2017		[14][15]
Usain Bolt	Yohan Blake	Sprinting	2012		[16]
Ben Johnson	Carl Lewis	Sprinting	1984–1988		[17]
Veronica Campbell-Brown	Allyson Felix	200 metres & 400 metres	2004–		[18]
Ondina Valla	Claudia Testoni	Sprinting	1932–1940	Testoni–Valla rivalry	[19]
Luigi Facelli	David Burghley	Hurdling	1927–1933		[20]
Kirani James	LaShawn Merritt	Sprinting	2011–		[21]
Paul Tergat	Haile Gebrselassie	Marathon	1995–2000		[22]
Daley Thompson	Jürgen Hingsen	Decathlon	–		[23]
Ivana Španović	Darya Klishina	Long jump	2007–		[24]
Donovan Bailey	Michael Johnson	Sprinting	1996–1997	Bailey–Johnson 150-metre race	[25][26]

Team

1st party	2nd party	Discipline(s)	Timespan	Article	Source
Finland	Sweden	Multi-discipline	1925–	Finland-Sweden athletics international
Jamaica	United States	Sprinting	—		[27][28][29]
Kenya	Ethiopia	Long-distance running	1968–		[22][30]

Badminton

1st party	2nd party	Timespan	Article
Susi Susanti	Bang Soo-hyun	1992–1996
Lee Chong Wei	Lin Dan	2004–2020	Lee–Lin rivalry
Indonesia	China	1990s-Present
Anthony Sinisuka Ginting	Kento Momota	2020s-Present
Tai Tzu-ying	P. V. Sindhu	2016–Present

Bandy

In Swedish bandy, derby games are often played on Saint Stephen's Day.[31]

Baseball

Dominican Professional Baseball League

Santo Domingo rivals: Leones del Escogido vs. Tigres del Licey[32][33]

Central League

Yomiuri Giants vs. Hanshin Tigers on a game named "The Classic Series" (伝統の一戦 in Japanese).[34]
Yomiuri Giants vs. Tokyo Yakult Swallows on a game named "Tokyo Series".

KBO League

KIA Tigers vs. Samsung Lions on a game named "88 Expressway Series".
Doosan Bears vs. LG Twins on a game named "Jamsil Series".
Lotte Giants vs. NC Dinos on a game named "Nakdonggang Derby".
Kiwoom Heroes vs. Doosan Bears or LG Twins on a game named "Seoul Series".

Chinese Professional Baseball League

CTBC Brothers vs. Wei Chuan Dragons on a game named "Dragon-Elephant Derby" (龍象大戰 in Chinese).
CTBC Brothers vs. Fubon Guardians on a game named "Bank holding Derby" (金控大戰 in Chinese).

Mexican Baseball League

Diablos Rojos del México (Mexico City Red Devils) vs. Tigres de Quintana Roo (Tigers) on a game named "Civil War Derby" ("Guerra Civil" in Spanish).[35]
Saraperos de Saltillo (Saltillo Sarapemaker's) vs. Vaqueros Laguna (Torreon Lagoon Cowboys) on a game named "Coahuila's Metropolitan Derby" ("Clásico metropolitano de Coahuila" in Spanish).[36]
Pericos de Puebla (Puebla Parrots) vs. Rojos del Águila de Veracruz (Veracruz Red Eagles) on a game named "Center rivalry" ("Rivalidad del centro" in Spanish).[37]
Diablos Rojos del México (Mexico City Red Devils) vs. Péricos de Puebla (Puebla Parrots) on a game named "Anahuac Derby" ("Clásico de Ánahuac" in Spanish).[38]
Saraperos de Saltillo (Saltillo Sarapemaker's) vs. Sultanes de Monterrey (Monterrey Sultans) on a game named "North of Mexico Derby" ("Clásico del Norte" in Spanish).[39]

Mexican Pacific League

Naranjeros de Hermosillo (Hermosillo Orange Growers) vs. Tomateros de Culiacán (Culiacan Tomato Growers) on a game named "Derby of the Pacific Coast" ("Clásico del Pacífico" in Spanish).[40]
Charros de Jalisco (Jalisco Charros) vs. Venados de Mazatlán (Mazatlan Deers) on a game named "Rivalry of the west" ("Rivalidad de Occidente" in Spanish).[41]

Minor League Baseball

Mercer Cup: Bluefield Blue Jays vs. Princeton Rays[42][43][44][45][46]

Venezuelan Professional Baseball League

Leones del Caracas (Caracas Lions) vs. Navegantes del Magallanes (Magallanes Navigators)
Leones del Caracas (Caracas Lions) vs. Tiburones de La Guaira (La Guaira Sharks)

Basketball

Australia

The Derby of Distance: Perth Wildcats vs New Zealand Breakers[47][48]
- Although this rivalry is actually an international rivalry, it plays out within the Australia-based National Basketball League. The Breakers have been an NBL member from the league's formation.
Melbourne United vs Sydney Kings

Croatia

Croatian Derby: Cibona vs Split[49]
Classic derby: Cibona vs. Zadar[50]

China

Northeastern Derby: Liaoning Flying Leopards vs Jilin Northeast Tigers
Beijing Derby: Beijing Ducks vs Beijing Royal Fighters
Chinese Classic: Beijing Ducks vs Guangdong Southern Tigers
Derby of Champions: Liaoning Flying Leopards vs Guangdong Southern Tigers
Battle of the Dynasties: Bayi Rockets vs Guangdong Southern Tigers
Guangdong Derby: Shenzhen Leopards vs Guangdong Southern Tigers
Xinjiang Flying Tigers vs Guangdong Southern Tigers

Guangdong has 11 CBA league titles, more than any other team in history, so it is very evident that they would have a lot of rivalries within the CBA.

France

Le Classique: Pau-Orthez vs Limoges[51]
Greater Paris Derby: Nanterre vs Metropolitans 92[52][53]
Alsace-Lorraine Derby: Nancy vs Strasbourg[54][55]

Germany

German Classic: Alba Berlin vs Bayern Munich vs Brose Bamberg

Greece

Derby of the eternal enemies: Panathinaikos vs. Olympiacos
Derby of Northern Greece: Aris vs. PAOK

Hong Kong

These are active Hong Kong A1 rivalries:

Derby of Classics: South China vs. Winling
South-East Clash: Eastern vs. South China
Winling-Eastern Rivalry: Winling vs. Eastern

These are high school sports rivalries, but are primarily contested in basketball:

Diocesan Boys School vs. Ying Wa College

Israel

Tel Aviv derby: Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Hapoel Tel Aviv[56]
Derby of Israel: Maccabi Tel Aviv vs. Hapoel Jerusalem
Tel Aviv vs. Haifa: Maccabi Tel Aviv or Hapoel Tel Aviv vs. Maccabi Haifa or Hapoel Haifa

Italy

Bologna Derby: Fortitudo Bologna vs Virtus Bologna[57][58]
Lombardy Derby: Olimpia Milano vs Varese vs Cantù[59][60][61]
Veneto Derby: Treviso vs Reyer Venezia[62]
Rome Derby: Virtus Roma vs Stella Azzurra Roma[63]
Piedmont Derby: Auxilium Torino vs Biella vs Junior Casale[64]
Via Emilia Derby: Reggiana vs Fortitudo Bologna or Virtus Bologna[65]

Japan

Korea Republic

S-Derby: Seoul Samsung Thunders vs Seoul SK Knights
Daegu Derby: Daegu KOGAS Pegasus vs Goyang Orion Orions

Lebanon

Derby Beirut: Al Riyadi vs Sagesse[66][67]

Lithuania

Rytas vs Žalgiris[68]

North Macedonia

Skopje basketball derby: Rabotnički vs. MZT Skopje[69]

Philippines

These are active Philippine Basketball Association rivalries:

Manila Clasico: Magnolia vs. Barangay Ginebra[70]
Sibling Rivalry: San Miguel vs. Barangay Ginebra
Barangay Ginebra vs Meralco[71]
TNT vs Barangay Ginebra
Magnolia vs. Rain or Shine

These are active Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League rivalries:

San Juan vs. Davao Occidental

These are college sports rivalries, but are primarily contested in basketball:

Ateneo vs. La Salle (The Ateneo–La Salle rivalry)[72]
San Beda vs. Letran (The San Beda–Letran rivalry)[73]
La Salle vs. UST (The La Salle–UST rivalry)
The Battle of Intramuros: Letran vs. Mapua
The Battle of the East/Morayta: FEU vs. UE
San Beda vs. San Sebastian (The San Beda–San Sebastian rivalry)
The Battle of Katipunan: Ateneo vs. UP
Letran vs. San Sebastian (The Letran–San Sebastian rivalry)
UC vs. UV[74]

Russia

Moscow derby: Khimki vs CSKA Moscow[75]
Moscow region derby: Khimki Moscow vs. Triumph Lyubertsy[76]
Volga derby: BC Nizhny Novgorod vs. BC Krasny Oktyabr[77]

Slovenia

Slovenian Classic: Krka vs Olimpija

Serbia

Eternal Derby: Crvena zvezda vs. Partizan

Spain

El Clásico: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid
Basque derby: Baskonia vs. Bilbao,[78] can also include GBC
Canary Islands derby: Canarias vs Gran Canaria
Madrid derby: Real Madrid vs Estudiantes
Catalan derby: Joventut vs Barcelona
Andalusian derby: Málaga vs Real Betis
Galician derby: Obradoiro vs Breogán, can also include Ourense or Coruña

Individuals

1st party	2nd party	Timespan	Article	Source
Bill Russell	Wilt Chamberlain	1959–1969	—	[79]
Magic Johnson	Larry Bird	1979–1991	—	[79]
Michael Jordan	Bill Laimbeer	1988–present	—	[80][81]
Kobe Bryant	Paul Pierce	2008–2010	—
LeBron James	Stephen Curry	2015–2018	Cavaliers–Warriors rivalry	[82]

Turkey

Istanbul Derby: Galatasaray vs Fenerbahçe, can also include Darüşşafaka, Anadolu Efes, Istanbul BB and Beşiktaş
Ankara Derby: Türk Telekom vs TED Ankara Kolejliler

Bobsleigh

1st party	2nd party	Timespan	Article	Source
Switzerland	East Germany	1976—1990	—	[83]
Kaillie Humphries	Elana Meyers	2013—	—	[84][85]

Bodybuilding

1st party	2nd party	Timespan	Article	Source
Arnold Schwarzenegger	Sergio Oliva		—	[86]