List of sports rivalries

Fans separated at an Old Firm derby in Glasgow, Scotland

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

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.

One of the first known sports rivalries occurred in the Roman Empire between the Blues and the Greens, and the minor teams of the Reds and Whites, each of which were chariot racing clubs competing at the Hippodrome in Constantinople. The rivalry took on political tones as well, coming close to deposing the Roman Emperor Justinian in 532 CE in a riot and the suppression of the riot killed tens of thousands of people.

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' or local derby originated from a game of football between all saints and St Peter's in the city of Derby. Due to the close proximity of the two churches and hence the football played, this is where the term 'local derby' or "derby" comes from. 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 political differences. Frequent meetings in important games between teams can also lead to unpleasantries.

International 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	2006–2016		^[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	100 metres & 200 metres	2004–2016		^[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	2011–2017		^[21]
Paul Tergat	Haile Gebrselassie	Marathon	1995–2000		^[22]
Eliud Kipchoge	Kenenisa Bekele	Marathon	2012–present
Daley Thompson	Jürgen Hingsen	Decathlon	–		^[23]
Ivana Španović	Darya Klishina	Long jump	2007–present		^[24]
Donovan Bailey	Michael Johnson	Sprinting	1996–1997	Bailey–Johnson 150-metre race	^[25]^[26]
Tessa Sanderson	Fatima Whitbread	Javelin	1978–1992		^[27]^[28]^[29]
P. T. Usha	Lydia de Vega	Sprinting	1980s		^[30]^[31]
Jakob Ingebrigtsen	Josh Kerr	Middle-distance running	2023–present		^[32]
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce	Elaine Thompson-Herah	Sprinting	2015–present		^[33]

Team

1st party	2nd party	Discipline(s)	Timespan	Article	Source
Finland	Sweden	Multi-discipline	1925–present	Finland-Sweden athletics international
Jamaica	United States	Sprinting	1960s—present		^[34]^[35]^[36]^[37]
Kenya	Ethiopia	Long-distance running	1968–present		^[22]^[38]

Australian rules football

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

Bandy

In Swedish bandy, derby games are often played on Saint Stephen's Day.^[39]

Baseball

Dominican Republic

Dominican Professional Baseball League

Santo Domingo rivals: Leones del Escogido vs. Tigres del Licey^[40]^[41]

Japan

Nippon Professional Baseball

Central League

Yomiuri Giants vs. Hanshin Tigers on a game named "The Classic Series" (伝統の一戦 in Japanese).^[42]
Yomiuri Giants vs. Tokyo Yakult Swallows on a game named "Tokyo Series".

Pacific League

South Korea

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".

Taiwan

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).

Mexico

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).^[43]
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).^[44]
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).^[45]
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).^[46]
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).^[47]

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).^[48]
Charros de Jalisco (Jalisco Charros) vs. Venados de Mazatlán (Mazatlan Deers) on a game named "Rivalry of the west" ("Rivalidad de Occidente" in Spanish).^[49]

United States/Canada

Major League Baseball

Minor League Baseball

Mercer Cup: Bluefield Blue Jays vs. Princeton Rays^[50]^[51]^[52]^[53]^[54]

Venezuela

Venezuelan Professional Baseball League

Basketball

Argentina

Ferro Carril Oeste vs Atenas
San Lorenzo vs Ferro Carril Oeste
San Lorenzo vs Boca Juniors
G.E.P.U. vs Atenas
Clásico porteño: Obras vs Ferro Carril Oeste
Argentinian derby: Peñarol vs Quilmes
Córdoba Derby: Atenas vs Instituto
San Nicolás derby: Belgrano vs Regatas
Bahía Blanca derby: Estudiantes (BB) vs Olimpo
Corrientes derby: Regatas Corrientes vs San Martín
Santiago del Estero derby: Club Ciclista Olímpico vs Quimsa
Sunchales derby: Libertad vs Unión de Sunchales
Santa Fe derby: Colón vs Unión
- This is also a football rivalry.
General Pico derby: Independiente vs Pico Football Club
La Pampa derby: All Boys (SR) vs Estudiantes (SR)
Paraná derby: Atlético Echagüe vs Juventud Sionista
Firmat derby: Argentino (F) vs Firmat Foot Ball Club
Junín derby: Argentino de Junín vs Club Ciclista Juninense
Tres Arroyos derby: Huracán de Tres Arroyos vs Costa Sud
Comodoro Rivadavia derby: Gimnasia (CR) vs Federación Deportiva
Pergamino derby: Gimnasia (P) vs Argentino (P)
Clásico de la Comarca: Deportivo Viedma vs Atenas de Patagones
Clásico Uruguayense: Tomás de Rocamora vs Parque Sur

Australia

The Derby of Distance: Perth Wildcats vs New Zealand Breakers^[55]^[56]
- 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.^{[citation needed]}
Melbourne United vs Sydney Kings^{[citation needed]}

Croatia

Croatian Derby: Cibona vs Split^[57]
Classic derby: Cibona vs. Zadar^[58]

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^[59]
Greater Paris Derby: Nanterre vs Metropolitans 92^[60]^[61]
Alsace-Lorraine Derby: Nancy vs Strasbourg^[62]^[63]

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

North Macedonia

Skopje basketball derby: Rabotnički vs. MZT Skopje^[78]

Philippines

These are active Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) rivalries:

SMC–MVP rivalry: Teams under the San Miguel Corporation vs. Teams under the Manny V. Pangilinan Group
Manila Clasico: Magnolia vs. Barangay Ginebra^[79]
Sibling Rivalry: San Miguel vs. Barangay Ginebra
Barangay Ginebra vs Meralco (Ginebra–Meralco rivalry)^[80]
TNT vs Barangay Ginebra
Magnolia vs. Rain or Shine

These are the historical rivalries in the PBA:

Crispa Redmanizers vs. Toyota^[81]

These are active Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League rivalries:

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

Ateneo vs. La Salle (The Ateneo–La Salle rivalry)^[82]
San Beda vs. Letran (The San Beda–Letran rivalry)^[83]
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^[84]

Poland

Russia

Moscow derby: Khimki vs CSKA Moscow^[85]
Moscow region derby: Khimki Moscow vs. Triumph Lyubertsy^[86]
Volga derby: BC Nizhny Novgorod vs. BC Krasny Oktyabr^[87]

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,^[88] 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

Taiwan

Taiwan Professional Basketball League

New Taipei Series (Xinzhuang Derby): New Taipei CTBC DEA vs New Taipei Kings

Turkey

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

United Kingdom

United States and Canada

National Basketball Association

Individuals

1st party	2nd party	Timespan	Article	Source
Bill Russell	Wilt Chamberlain	1959–1969	Celtics–Lakers rivalry	^[89]
Magic Johnson	Larry Bird	1979–1991	Celtics–Lakers rivalry	^[89]
Michael Jordan	Bill Laimbeer	1988–1991	Bulls–Pistons rivalry	^[90]^[91]
Kobe Bryant	Shaquille O'Neal	1996-2011	Shaq–Kobe feud
Kobe Bryant	Tim Duncan	1999–2016	Lakers–Spurs rivalry
LeBron James	Kevin Durant	2012 – present	Cavaliers–Warriors rivalry Lakers-Suns rivalry
LeBron James	Stephen Curry	2015–Present	Cavaliers–Warriors rivalry Lakers–Warriors rivalry	^[92]

Bobsleigh

1st party	2nd party	Timespan	Article	Source
Switzerland	East Germany	1976–1990	—	^[93]
Kaillie Humphries	Elana Meyers	2013–present	—	^[94]^[95]

Bodybuilding

1st party	2nd party	Timespan	Article	Source
Arnold Schwarzenegger	Sergio Oliva		—	^[96]
Lenda Murray	Iris Kyle		2002 Ms. Olympia 2003 Ms. Olympia 2004 Ms. Olympia	^[97]