London may not be home to England’s most successful clubs, but the capital has more top-level teams than any other city in Europe.
Unlike Manchester, Madrid, Munich or other big hubs for football across the continent, London does not feature in the name of any of the city’s professional clubs.
Instead, teams in the English capital usually take the name of an area of the city, which is home to more than eight million people – third in Europe behind just Istanbul and Moscow.
Here, a look at the city’s professional football clubs and some of their achievements in the men’s game…
16. Dagenham & Redbridge
Dagenham & Redbridge were founded in 1992 following a merger between Dagenham and Redbridge Forest.
The Daggers play in the National League and are based at the Victoria Road ground in Dagenham, east London. The club won the Conference in 2007 and earned promotion to League One via the play-offs in 2010, but were relegated back to the National League in 2016.
15. Bromley
Bromley beat Solihull Moors in the National League play-off final in May 2024 to win promotion to the Football League for the first time.
Based in the south of Greater London, Bromley FC play their home games at Hayes Lane. The Ravens also won the FA Trophy in 2021/22.
14. Barnet
Formed in 1888, Barnet were founder members of the North London League in 1892. The Bees have spent most of their history in the lower leagues, but played for a season in the old Division Two (third tier) in 1993/94.
Three-time Conference winners – in 1991, 2005 and 2015 – and FA Trophy runners-up in 1972, Barnet briefly had Dutch legend Edgar Davids as player-manager between 2012 and early 2014.
13. Sutton United
Sutton United were founded in 1898 and the south London club has spent most of its existence outside the Football League.
The Us finished eighth in League Two in 2021/22, narrowly missing out on the play-offs, and were also EFL Trophy runners-up that same season. Sutton were relegated back to the Conference in 2023/24.
12. AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon were founded in 2002 by supporters of Wimbledon after the Dons relocated to Milton Keynes.
Based at a new Plough Lane since 2020 after 18 years at the Kingsmeadow Stadium, AFC Wimbledon won promotion back to the Football League in 2010/11.
11. Leyton Orient
Founded in 1881, Leyton Orient have featured for only one season ever in England’s top flight.
The east London outfit, based at Brisbane Road, finished bottom of the old First Division in 1962/63, and have spent the rest of their history in the lower leagues.
10. Charlton Athletic
Charlton Athletic spent seven consecutive seasons in the Premier League between 2000 and 2007 and finished seventh in 2003/04.
The south London club, based at The Valley, won the FA Cup in 1947, having finished as runners-up the previous season. And a decade before their cup win, the Addicks came second in the old First Division, behind champions Manchester City.
9. Millwall
Founded in east London in 1885, Millwall have played in the Bermondsey area in the south-east of the capital since 1910.
Long associated with hooliganism, Millwall fans famously chant “nobody likes us, we don’t care”. The Lions play at The Den, which was built to replace the old ground of the same name in 1993. FA Cup finalists in 2004, Millwall played in Europe as a Championship side in the 2004/05 season, losing to Hungarian outfit Ferencváros in the first round.
8. Queens Park Rangers
Queens Park Rangers were founded in 1882 and the Hoops have regularly featured in the top flight throughout their history.
League Cup winners in 1967, QPR also reached the FA Cup final in 1982. Based in west London, the Rs play their home matches at Loftus Road.
7. Brentford
Much of Brentford’s history has been spent in the lower leagues, but the Bees have had an impressive run since establishing themselves in the Championship and ultimately earning promotion to the Premier League in 2021.
The west London club, founded in 1889, moved out of their famous Griffin Park home and into the new Brentford Community Stadium for that promotion season and returned to the top flight for the first time in 74 years.
6. Crystal Palace
Founded in 1905, Crystal Palace have been Premier League regulars in recent years and are admired for their impressive youth academy.
Based in south London, the Eagles are two-time FA Cup finalists and won the short-lived and long-defunct Full Members Cup in 1991.
5. Fulham
Founded in 1879, Fulham are London’s oldest professional football club and the Cottagers have been playing at their Craven Cottage stadium since 1896 – apart from two seasons spent at QPR’s Loftus Road during renovations to their famous home.
FA Cup runners-up in 1975 and Europa League finalists in 2010, the west Londoners have been Premier League regulars in recent times and were last promoted to the top flight after winning the Championship in 2021/22.
4. West Ham
West Ham won the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1965 and added the Europa Conference League under David Moyes in 2023.
Two-time champions of England, West Ham play at the London Stadium, which was adapted for football after hosting track and field events at the 2012 Olympic Games and has been home to the Irons since the Boleyn Ground was closed in May 2016.
3. Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur won the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup in 1963, becoming the first British club to claim a European trophy.
Also two-time UEFA Cup winners, Spurs were Champions League finalists in 2019 but recent times have been more difficult for the north Londoners and the Lilywhites are without a league title since their double season in 1960/61.
2. Arsenal
Arsenal have won more top-flight titles than any other London club and the Gunners are also three-time league and cup double winners.
Under Arsène Wenger in 2003/04, Arsenal became the first English club in the modern era to complete a league season without defeat. The north London club reached the Champions League final in 2006.
1. Chelsea
Hugely successful since 2003, when Roman Abramovich took over the club, Chelsea became the first London side to win the Champions League in 2012.
The Blues won the competition again in 2021 and have enjoyed more success in the Premier League than their London rivals, winning titles under José Mourinho (three), Carlo Ancelotti and Antonio Conte.
