In the capital of the United Kingdom, amidst the bustling streets and iconic landmarks, lies a city that pulsates with the rhythmic beats of a universal language — sport. London, a metropolis steeped in history and cultural diversity, is home to many of the world’s biggest competitions and routinely welcomes athletes and fans alike to its streets for the myriad of events that it hosts.
In 2012, all eyes were on London as it hosted the Olympic Games for the second time in a century, while less than 10 years later, it saw its home team compete in the final of the Euro 2020 tournament. The British capital also hosts other international competitions on a more frequent basis.
Every year, the world of poker has its eyes on London when it hosts a round of the UK and Ireland Poker Tour, this is the biggest and most prestigious poker tournament across the entire British Isles and has been running since 2009. Today, the London round is hosted at the Hippodrome Casino, which is home to one of the best card rooms in the capital.
This year’s tournament took place in September and was won by Dylan Bradley, a recent university graduate from Newcastle who beat some of the UK and the world’s best players, despite being the youngest at the table.
Bradley bagged the coveted UKIPT trophy by winning the Main Event, a £1,100 No Limit Hold’em game. This is a variant of Texas hold’em, the most popular form of poker, that places no restrictions on the amount you can bet or raise.
Similarly, London welcomes Formula E, the world’s biggest all-electric single-seater racing car championship with an event that’s now hosted as the ExCel Centre. Tottenham Hotspur Stadium also welcomes NFL teams from across the pond for the sell-out NFL London games every year.
But while London is, clearly, a city with sport running right through its veins, no other sport enjoys the level of importance and prominence of football. The city proudly dons the crown as the unrivalled Football Capital of the World, and for good reason.
Beyond the regal façade that is shown to tourists and the busy financial sector that funds its ever-expanding prosperity, London’s claim to this title is grounded in the passion that pumps through the veins of Londoners in every corner of the city.
The Home of the FA
England’s Football Association (The FA) is the oldest governing body for football in the world, having been founded more than 160 years ago. The organisation, which sets the rules for the Premier League and most other competitions in England and Wales, began life in the Freemasons’ Tavern on Great Queen Street, in London’s West End when several prominent figures in the sport came together to agree a common set of rules.
Today, The FA has moved out of the pub it began its life in and is based at the city’s famous Wembley Stadium. While the European football confederation UEFA and the world governing body FIFA have more say in global football in the 21st century, England’s regulator continues to be an influential figure.
Clubs, Clubs Everywhere
You can’t move for football clubs in London. If, like the town’s airport, you count Luton as being part of the capital, the city has eight clubs in the Premier League in the 2023/24 season, accounting for 40% of the entire league.
They are not all, however. There are a total of 17 football teams in the capital, all playing in professional leagues within the English football pyramid. In contrast, the UK’s second city, Birmingham, has two clubs in professional leagues with a further four within the greater West Midlands area. Manchester has a nearly identical picture to Birmingham.
Some of London’s clubs have enjoyed a great deal of top-flight success in recent years, too. Of course, Manchester’s United and City have dominated the Premier League but both Chelsea and Arsenal enjoyed stints as England’s top club in the 2000s and 2010s, helping to cement London’s position on the footballing map.
This high concentration of clubs also means that London has some very fierce rivalries. With so many teams in the Premier League, derby days are incredibly common, and it is these events where passions run their hottest.
But London’s clubs are not reserved only for the top flight. The city is also home to hundreds of semi-professional and amateur non-league teams, most of which play just for the love of football.
There are very few places in the world where you can find this high level of enthusiasm for football amongst so many people. So, combined with the city’s footballing history and contemporary influence over the sport, London very much deserves the title of global capital of football.
