Despite 120-plus years of history and a status among the Premier League’s “Big Six,” Chelsea’s rivalries don’t always translate to the same level of global recognition as the ones elsewhere in England.
When considering the biggest rivalries in the Premier League, matches such as Manchester United vs. Liverpool or Arsenal vs. Tottenham are often mentioned.
But to say Chelsea has no rivals would be wrong. Whipped up over the decades by local pride, intense matches, and battles for silverware, the Blues have developed some fierce rivalries of their own.
Some arise from geography, others from shared history on the pitch, and some still flicker in modern times.
West London Rivals
Fulham
Local pride always plays a role when two clubs share the same city. Chelsea and Fulham’s stadiums are barely three kilometres apart, yet the rivalry has never truly grown into something iconic.
That’s largely because Fulham have spent much of their history in the lower divisions, meaning the clubs rarely met between 1968 and 2001. While their matches bring a buzz to West London, they lack the weight of the Blues’ more intense clashes elsewhere.
Queens Park Rangers
QPR is another close neighbour, and their meetings have produced some memorable moments. The most talked-about came in 2011, when newly promoted QPR stunned the Blues with a controversial 1–0 win.
Still, much like Fulham, the lack of consistent top-flight competition means this rivalry doesn’t reach the levels of Chelsea’s bigger battles.
Historical Rivals
Leeds United
If you asked fans in the 1960s, “Who are Chelsea’s biggest rivals?” the answer would have been Leeds United. The rivalry took new heights with the infamous 1970 FA Cup Final, widely remembered as the most brutal match in English football history.
Experts believe at least six red cards could have been issued that day, and the intensity spilled into the stands, where supporters clashed throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
The feud lost its fire when Leeds dropped out of the Premier League for long stretches, but older fans still remember when Leeds felt like Chelsea’s biggest rival.
Modern Premier League Clashes
Arsenal
The Chelsea–Arsenal rivalry has evolved into one of the most recognisable in English football. While geography first set the stage, it was their rise in the 2000s that truly turned up the heat. The 2004/05 season, when the Blues won the league and Arsenal finished second, marked a turning point. Since then, the two have clashed in five major finals.
Today, the matchup is known as the new London Derby, and it remains one of the most anticipated fixtures of the season. It also draws plenty of attention from bettors, especially on platforms like betus.com.pa, where speculation about who comes out on top is always intense.
Ask their fans, “Who is our worst enemy?” and many will point to Arsenal. Still, recent years have softened the edge. Transfers like Ashley Cole and Olivier Giroud moving between clubs helped blur the lines, and Arsenal’s long league title drought has shifted the balance of power.
Tottenham Hotspur
Chelsea vs. Tottenham has always carried tension, but the 1967 FA Cup Final, the first contested between two London clubs, gave it historical weight.
The animosity deepened in 2016 during the infamous “Battle of the Bridge,” when Spurs picked up nine yellow cards, the Blues three, and players from both sides ended up brawling in stoppage time.
Unlike Fulham or QPR, Spurs represent a genuine threat to their ambitions, and their games consistently deliver the kind of drama that defines the biggest rivalries in the Premier League.
Rivalries Across the Big Six
Being one of the big six clubs has naturally created rivalries with the other heavyweights: Manchester United, Liverpool, and Manchester City.
Liverpool: José Mourinho’s Chelsea and Rafa Benítez’s Liverpool locked horns domestically and in Europe during the 2000s.
Manchester United: Between 2000 and 2010, the fight for Premier League supremacy meant all games against United felt like cup finals.
Manchester City: More recently, the London side’s rivalry with City has developed as both have regularly competed for titles.
While these rivalries don’t carry the same weight as a London Derby, they mean a lot to fans, as the outcome often directly impacts title aspirations.
So, Who Is Chelsea’s Biggest Rival?
The answer depends on when you started following the Blues. For older generations, Leeds will always represent the Blues’ fiercest enemy. For younger fans, it’s Arsenal or Tottenham who fit that role.