What is a derby in football? The world's biggest rivalries

Some games carry a weight that the league table can't explain. They're called derbies, and they're where football's deepest passions live. Here's what the word means and where the biggest ones are played.

What "derby" actually means

A derby is a match between two clubs that are local rivals — traditionally from the same city or region. The term comes from England and originally implied geographic closeness, where supporters live and work side by side, which is what gives these games their edge.

Over time "derby" has stretched to cover any fierce rivalry, even between clubs in different cities, when the history and stakes are big enough.

City derbies

These are the classic kind — two clubs sharing one city:

• Manchester derby — Manchester United v Manchester City
• Merseyside derby — Liverpool v Everton
• North London derby — Arsenal v Tottenham
• Milan derby (Derby della Madonnina) — Inter v AC Milan
• Madrid derby — Real Madrid v Atlético Madrid

National 'super' rivalries

Some rivalries transcend a single city and define a whole country:

• El Clásico — Real Madrid v Barcelona, the biggest club fixture on earth
• Superclásico — Boca Juniors v River Plate in Buenos Aires, famed for its atmosphere
• Der Klassiker — Bayern Munich v Borussia Dortmund
• O Clássico — Benfica v Porto in Portugal

The Old Firm and beyond

In Scotland, the Old Firm (Celtic v Rangers) carries a history that goes well beyond football. Around the world, from Cairo's Al Ahly v Zamalek to Istanbul's Galatasaray v Fenerbahçe, the pattern repeats: two clubs, one city, a lifetime of bragging rights.

Why derbies are different

Form goes out of the window. A struggling side can lift its whole season by beating its rival, and a single derby goal can make a local hero forever. That's why these matches so often produce drama, red cards and stories that outlive any title race.

Follow the fixtures and results from every big rivalry in our match centre.

FAQ

Where does the word "derby" come from?

The origin is debated, but both leading theories point to England. One traces it to the Derby horse race, founded by the 12th Earl of Derby in 1780, whose name became shorthand for any big sporting contest; the other cites the chaotic traditional Shrovetide football match played in the town of Derby.

What is the biggest derby in the world?

There's no official answer. El Clásico (Real Madrid v Barcelona) draws the largest global audience of any club fixture, while the Superclásico (Boca Juniors v River Plate) is often called the most intense matchday atmosphere in football. Which is "biggest" depends on whether you measure viewers, history or noise.

Is El Clásico a derby if the clubs are from different cities?

Strictly speaking it's a rivalry rather than a local derby, since Real Madrid and Barcelona are 600km apart. In everyday use, though, "derby" has stretched to cover any fixture with that level of history and hostility — which El Clásico has more than almost any other.

Do derby matches count for extra points?

No — a derby is worth the same three points as any other league game. Their outsized importance is emotional and psychological: local bragging rights, momentum, and the way a derby win can rescue a poor season in the eyes of supporters.

Why are derbies so unpredictable?

Because form and league position matter less when the stakes are personal. Players raised in the rivalry feel the pressure, tackles fly earlier, and underdogs are lifted by the occasion — which is why "anything can happen in a derby" has become a football cliché with real truth in it.