A guide to every professional football club in London | OneFootball

London is home to 17 clubs that play in England's top four football leagues, many more than some may have guessed which play outside the Premier League. The English capital is one of world football's most significant cities. It is home to massive clubs like Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur, among many others.

Record FA Cup winners, two-time UEFA Champions League winners and some of the oldest clubs across the nation - the capital has it all. Even incredible derby fixtures when various clubs from in and around London face off each year.

However, many people may not be clued up on some of London's more obscure lower-league clubs that maintain the status of professional-level clubs. We have assembled everything you need to know about London's most significant clubs, including their performances on the pitch and their most common nicknames. Whether you call the beautiful game football or soccer, London is one of the sports most concentrated regions when it comes to being home to historical clubs. If you ever wanted access to a comprehensive knowledge of football in London, then this is the place to get it.

AFC Wimbledon

AFC Wimbledon is a relatively young club, having been formed in 2002. They are a Phoenix club that was created in 2002, in response to the former Wimbledon team moving to Milton Keynes, and being renamed Milton Keynes Dons.

The team currently plays in the English Football League Two, but have ventured as far as a division above in League One during their short history. Their most significant honour was the National League playoff victory in 2011, which allowed them to enter the Football League for the first ever time. Wimbledon also has a Conference South title victory and an abundance of semi-pro and amateur-level regional trophies.

Arsenal

Some would argue the Gunners are London's biggest club overall. Arsenal have won 13 English top-flight titles and a record 14 FA Cups throughout their history. Their most famous season came in 2003/04 as they became the only team ever to win the Premier League while going unbeaten throughout the season.

Arsenal have also won two Carabao Cup trophies and 17 FA Community Shields throughout their history. The club has experienced continental success in the form of the now-defunct Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup. They came close to the greatest club prize in the form of the Champions League in 2005/06 when they were beaten by FC Barcelona in the final. This prevented them from becoming the first London-based team to win the competition.

Barnet

Barnet is one of the lowest-ranked professional London clubs in the English league system. The club have a remarkably long history, having been formed in 1888, and they even took part in the original North London Football League in 1892. In modern times, they are a non-league club, but they are one of the most passionately supported teams outside the football league. The Bees' historical honours are more than respectable. They are record holders of the fifth tier, as they have won the National League title three times.

They have also been champions of numerous lower-league competitions, such as the Conference League Cup in 1988/89 and the FA Amateur Cup as far back as 1945/46.

Bromley

Bromley is similar to Barnet in that they are a historical club that is currently playing their football in the National League. The club was founded in 1892 and has forever been situated on the outskirts of London. Bromley certainly cannot compare to London's giant clubs, but it still maintains a passionate supporter base. The team's biggest-ever achievement came just a couple of seasons ago, in 2021/22, as they captured the prestigious FA Trophy - which is contested by the teams in the fifth to eighth tier of English football. Their Conference South title victory in 2014/15 was also a modern highlight for The Ravens.

Bromley also won the FA Amateur Cup on three occasions in the early 20th century, as well as a wide range of local London leagues throughout their history - as they are one of London's oldest clubs.

Brentford FC have established themselves as a stable Premier League outfit in recent years. They recorded a top-half finish last year, and in 2023/24 they could perhaps even challenge for the European spots. They made a rapid rise up the leagues in the 2010s, and now they look like they are in the Premier League to stay. In terms of the major honours they have accumulated in the past, they have been champions of the English second, third and fourth tier, which is a feat few clubs have managed. They have won League Two on three occasions, League One twice, and they have been second-tier champions just once.

Charlton Athletic

Charlton Athletic are a significant lower league London club, having participated in the Premier League on several occasions. They famously won the FA Cup in 1946/47 which marked the biggest moment in their entire history. The Addicks also have numerous other honours in their trophy cabinet. They have won the English third tier on three occasions and won the second tier at the turn of the millennium in 1999/2000.

They came agonisingly close to the biggest success in English football in 1936/37. They finished as runners-up in the top flight and have never come close to becoming champions of England since.

Chelsea

Chelsea is the only club that can claim to be London's biggest alongside Arsenal. They do not quite boast the level of historical domestic success as The Gunners, but they do have two UEFA Champions League successes to their name as well as two UEFA Europa League titles. They are genuine footballing royalty, despite their poor form in the last couple of seasons. Chelsea are also London's only team to have earned the title of FIFA World Champions - they won the Club World Cup in 2021, following their UCL success against Manchester City earlier that year. Domestically, they have won six top-flight titles, eight FA Cups and five League Cups, which makes them by far London's second most successful club in national competitions.

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace are similar to Brentford in the sense that they are a passionately supported team that is stable in the top flight. Their stadium, Selhurst Park, can claim to have one of the most impressive atmospheres in the Premier League. Unlike most of their fellow London teams, their biggest rival is located well outside the capital in Brighton and Hove Albion. The club's highest-ever finish in the English league pyramid came in 1990/91 when they finished in third place within the top flight. When it comes to trophy wins, they have come extremely close to FA Cup glory, having finished as runners-up on two occasions - one came as recently as 2015/16.

They have, however, got over the line with a Championship title on two occasions, and they recorded a League One victory more than a century ago in 1920/21.

Dagenham and Redbridge

Dagenham and Redbridge are another of London's non-league clubs that maintain professional status. They are one of the capital's youngest clubs as they have existed since just 1992. The highest division they've reached throughout their history is League One, although they spent just a single season there in 2010/11. The Daggers have recorded several successes in their relatively short history, including winning the National League in 2006/07 and winning the League Two playoffs in 2009/2010. They are one of London's most honour-deprived teams, but they have still managed to secure success in nationally-contested leagues like most clubs in the capital.

Fulham

Fulham is a hugely successful West London club, having won the second division - now known as the Championship - on three occasions, and they have even tasted European success in the UEFA Intertoto Cup. Their most memorable season, however, ended in a runners-up finish in Europe. In 2009/10 they went all the way to the final of the UEFA Europa League and defeated the likes of Juventus along the way.

They ultimately lost to Atlético Madrid in that final, but that incredible continental run has never been forgotten. It truly put Fulham on the European map and the players that spearheaded that famous run have gone down as modern legends of the club, such as Bobby Zamora and Clint Dempsey.

Leyton Orient

Leyton Orient are one of London's oldest clubs as they were founded back in 1881. They were once FA Cup semi-finalists, and they are on a huge upward trajectory at present, having won the League Two title last season. Historically, they have also regularly collected lower-league honours. Their recent fourth-tier success is dwarfed by three third-tier title wins in their all-time history.

In England's biggest cup competition - the FA Cup - they have regularly featured beyond the third round. In 1977/78 they famously reached the semi-finals, and notably defeated London giants Chelsea at Stamford Bridge along the way.

Millwall

Millwall are another London club that has experienced European football in the past. They featured in the UEFA Cup competition in 2004/05 after reaching the FA Cup final in the previous season. The Lions have a second-tier title win to their name and also won the third tier on three occasions across the 20th and 21st centuries.

An interesting fact is they were formed with the name Millwall Rovers and achieved their earliest successes under that title before changing to Millwall Athletic in 1889. They are perhaps most well known for having a passionate fanbase and their fierce rivalry with West Ham United.

Sutton United

Sutton United are a London club that has spent most of its history playing non-league football. Currently, they reside in League Two for the time being though. They sprung onto the map when they reached the fifth round of the FA Cup in 2017 and earned a tie against Arsenal, and they have climbed up the league in that time since.

Their most significant trophy success on record was undoubtedly their National League triumph in 2020/21. They almost topped that with an EFL Trophy victory in 2021/22, but they lost to Rotherham United in extra time in the final at Wembley.

Tottenham Hotspur

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Tottenham are certainly London's biggest club besides the big two - Arsenal and Chelsea. They regularly compete near the top of the Premier League and even reached the Champions League final in 2019. In terms of the major honours they have secured, in their entire history since 1882, they have two top-flight title wins, eight FA Cups and four League Cups in their cabinet. Their most recent success came in the League Cup competition of 2007/08.

They have also achieved significant continental success, as they have won the UEFA Europa League twice - in 1971/72 and 1983/84 - and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup once, in 1962/63.

Queens Park Rangers

Queens Park Rangers were founding members of the Premier League in 1992, but they have spent the majority of their time in the Championship ever since. They boast a rich history in which they were once League Cup winners in 1966/67 and FA Cup runners-up in 1981/82. In terms of achievements that the Hoops have secured besides the landmark League Cup victory, they have been second-tier champions twice - with one coming as recently as 2010/11 - and third-division winners on three occasions.

They also won the Championship playoff final in 2013/14 which was the last time they earned a place in the prestigious Premier League.

Watford

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Watford is a club whose position as a London club is regularly up for debate. They are certainly extremely close to the capital, at least. With two FA Cup runner-up finishes to their name, they have gone head-to-head with England's heavyweights on several occasions in the past. The Hornets have often been nearly when it comes to flirting with English football's greatest prizes. They finished runners-up in the top flight in 1982/83 and have been Championship runners-up three times, while never winning the league title in the second tier.

However, they have tasted significant success occasionally. They won the Championship playoff final in 1998/99 and 2005/06 and also have won the third division title an equal number of times - the most recent of which came in 1997/98.

West Ham United

West Ham United are up there in the tier just below London's very biggest. They won the UEFA Europa Conference League title in 2022/23, and have won major honours throughout their existence.

The club was originally founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks and was renamed West Ham United 15 years later and went on to paint a decorated club history with multiple major honours. The Hammers have won the FA Cup three times and the FA Community Shield once. They reached the final of the League Cup twice but never managed to win that major honour. The peak of their league title success came in the second tier. They won the title twice during the 20th century, but have spent the majority of their time in the Premier League since.

European success has also been experienced long-term by the club, besides their recent Conference League success. They won the UEFA Intertoto Cup in 1998/99 and the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup decades earlier in 1964/65. London's 17 professional clubs all boast different kinds of footballing history. There are multiple-time Champions of Europe, Premier League record-breakers and simply many teams that are remarkably consistent within their respective level of the English football pyramid.

These clubs constantly increase the prestige of professional football in London, as more major honours are racked up year-on-year. The capital is one of the most influential cities in the world of football, and here we have looked at all the teams that have contributed to its stature throughout more than 130 years of history.