How many football teams in London are there? | Guide to the 20 clubs in England’s capital | Full list London Premier League clubs

Football has been played in London for nearly a thousand years, and it was in 1863, in the Freemasons’ Tavern in the centre of England’s capital, that the Football Association was founded and the modern game established.

Now, 150 years on, how many football teams in London are there? How many are in the Premier League, the Football League and non-league, and which area of London has the most top sides?

Moreover, London has, over the years, become a powerhouse of football, hosting world-class stadiums, a typical example being Wembley.

That is not to mention that London is home to some of the best clubs/teams that continue to redefine English football.

Everything you need to know is below…

A Map of football teams in London

If you are looking for a comprehensive map showing all the football teams in London, we have got you covered below. Note that the map features all the teams right from the Premier League outfits all the way down to non-league sides within London.

Football teams in London FAQs

Now, to answer the big question of how many professional football teams are in London, we say from the National League South upwards (sixth tier), there are at least 20 professional football teams in London. Let’s break it down into sections starting from the Premier League to the lower tiers.

How many Premier League teams are in London?

There are seven Premier League teams in London: Arsenal, Brentford, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United.

However, based on the fans’ argument, it is not easy to say which is the best London football team unless we dig deeper into history. Arsenal has enjoyed great success recently, finishing second in the Premier League season of 2022/23 and 2023/24, so the Gunners are currently and arguably the best London-based football club.

A great start to the 2024/25 campaign means the Gunners, who are regarded as the favourites to lift the Premier League trophy in the current season, will remain a football powerhouse in London. Moreover, Arsenal play their home matches at the Emirates Stadium, a venue with a great atmosphere and a seating capacity of 60, 704 seats.

Tottenham and West Ham follow closely, thanks to their perennial presence in the English top flight and party due to the financial power the teams have wielded in recent years.

Spurs play their home games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a venue that boasts a massive capacity of 62, 850 and draws 100% of its energy from renewable sources. With that, the home ground to Tottenham is regarded as one of the best green stadiums in the world today.

London Stadium is the home ground for West Ham while Fulham, Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Brentford play their home matches at Craven Cottage, Stamford Bridge, Selhurt Park and Brentford Community Stadium respectively.

How many Championship teams are in London?

There are two Championship teams in London: Millwall and Queens Park Rangers. While the two teams did not have a good campaign in 2023/24, the fact that they survived the drop means the new season of 2024/25 could come with a ray of hope for both of them.

The two London teams in the England Championship league remain below the top 10 heading to round 6 of the current season. However, there is still enough time to prove they are worth remaining in the division or even earn a promotion to the top flight at the end of the season.

Millwall were at risk of relegation in 2023/24, thanks to a tight race. However, a spirited fight toward the end of the season saw them survive the drop. Millwall won their last five games of the 2023/24 season, a success they attributed to the appointment of a new coach, Neil Harris.

The London-based Championship football club also improved defensively. But with only 4 points from 5 games after three defeats, one win and as many losses so far in the 2024/25 season, fans of Millwall will undoubtedly begin to worry if the trend continues well into a quarter of the season. Millwall’s home stadium is The Den, which has a seating capacity of at least 20,146. The London-based football club was founded on 1 January 1885.

QPR, another London-based Championship club, was founded on 1 January 1882. The current head coach is Spanish tactician Martis Cifuentes, who was appointed in October 2023 to rescue QPR’s troubled season. Three wins in the final three games of 2023/24 came with a stroke of luck for the Queens, who survived relegation.

However, one win, three draws and a defeat after five rounds in the 2024/25 season means QPR could struggle yet again under their Spanish coach, so it is a matter of waiting to see if they will retain their spot in the division. QPR plays its games at Loftus Stadium in London, a venue with a seating capacity of 18,500.

How many League One teams are in London?

There are two League One teams in London: Charlton Athletic and Leyton Orient. Charlton survived relegation last season as they put up a spirited fight in the final games of the 2023/24 season.

They play their home games at  The Valley, a stadium that has a capacity of 27,111. On the flip side, Leyton Orient stage their home matches at Matchroom Stadium, which has a capacity of 9,271. Leyton are looking shaky in the division as they sit in the danger zone after playing five games of one win and four defeats in the 2024/25 League One season.

Tactician Nathan Jones from Wales is the current head coach of Charlton. He took over as the head coach at Matchoom Stadium halfway through 2023/24 to rescue the team from relegation. Charlton is doing well so far in the division, sitting in the top six after 6 games.

How many League Two teams are in London?

There are two League Two teams in London: AFC Wimbledon and Bromley.  AFC Wimbledon had a good run in the 2023/24 but were unable to secure promotion, so they remain in the division for the 2024/25 season.

AFC Wimbledon play their home matches at Cherry Red Records Stadium, a venue that has a seating capacity of 9,300. Bromley on the other hand play their home games at Hayes Lane which has a 5000-seating capacity. AFC Wimbledon and Bromley are currently coached by  Jonnie Jackson and  Andy Woodman respectively.

How many National League teams are in London?

There are currently four London-based teams in England’s National League division. Sutton’s relegation to the National League in the 2023/24 season means they join Barnet, Dagenham & Redbridge and Wealdstone as London-based clubs in the fifth tier of English football.

How many National League South teams are in London?

There are three National League South teams in London: Dulwich Hamlet, Hampton & Richmond Borough, and Welling United.

How many North London football clubs?

Seven teams are in North London, which is most famous for the rivalry between Premier League heavyweights Arsenal and Tottenham.

List of football teams in North London: Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur; Barnet; Enfield Town, Haringey Borough, Wingate & Finchley; Hendon.

How many East London football clubs?

Defined by the bitter and often violent clashes of West Ham and Millwall, East London has a total of six teams from the seventh tier upwards.

Here is a list of football teams in East London: West Ham United, Millwall, Charlton Athletic, Dagenham & Redbridge, Welling United, and Hornchurch.

How many South London football clubs?

It’s a hotbed of footballing talent and a huge contributor to the Premier League and English national team in terms of players produced, but South London is the least successful area of the capital in terms of trophies. Nevertheless, there are plenty of teams. Nine can be found from the seventh tier up.

List of football teams in South London: Crystal Palace, AFC Wimbledon, Sutton United, Bromley, Dulwich Hamlet, Carshalton Athletic, Corinthian-Casuals, Cray Wanderers, Kingstonian.

How many West London football clubs?

The dominant force for Premier League sides, with three, and there are nine in total in West London.

List of football teams in West London: Brentford, Chelsea, Fulham; Queens Park Rangers, Wealdstone, Hampton & Richmond Borough, Harrow Borough, Hayes & Yeading United.