Asia’s Biggest Football Rivalries

All of Asia’s major club football rivalries:

Featured Derby: The Tehran Derby, Tehran, Iran
Esteghlal FC vs Persepolis FC 

World Soccer Magazine declared the Tehran derby as the most important derby in Asia. First contested in 1968, Esteghal FC currently hold the advantage having won 20 games compared to Persepolis’s 15 victories. Persepolis’s supporters traditionally represent the working class, whilst Esteghal’s support can be traced back to the Iranian upper class. 

One of the most heated matches between the two sides occurred on the 29th of December 2000. After constant bickering throughout the match, Esteghal’s goalkeeper Parviz Broumand punched Persepolis’s striker Payan Rafat in the face. A brawl broke out between the players, inciting fans who took the violence to the streets. Over 250 city buses were damaged, whilst three players and 60 fans were arrested. 

Other Derbies:  

Melbourne Victory vs Sydney FC (Australia)
Melbourne Victory vs Adelaide United (Australia)
Newcastle Jets vs Central Coast Mariners (Australia)
Shandong Luneng vs Dalian Shide (China)
Mohan Bagan vs East Bengal (India)
Chirag United vs Mohammedan Sporting (India)
Mahindra United vs Air India (India)
FC Tokyo vs Tokyo Verdy (Japan)
Kashima Antlers vs Jubilo Iwata (Japan)
Gamba Osaka vs Cerezo Osaka (Japan)
Yokohama F. Marinos vs Yokohama FC (Japan)
Uwara Red Diamonds vs Omiya Ardija (Japan)
Arema vs Persema (Indonesia)
Persita vs Persikota (Indonesia)
Persija vs Persitara (Indonesia)
Al Qadisiya Kuwait vs Al Arabi Kuwait (Kuwait)
Home United FC vs Singapore Armed Forces FC (Singapore)
Al-Ahli vs Al-Shabbab (UAE)
Al-Wahda vs Al-Jazeera (UAE)
Al-Shaab vs Al-Sharjah (UAE)
Al-Ittihad vs Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia
Al-Nasr vs Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
Sepahan vs Zob Ahan FC (Iran)
Persepolis FC vs Sepahan (Iran)
FC Seoul vs Suwon (Korea)

Back to the main Football Rivalries page.

We encourage anyone who has personally experienced any of the above derby fixtures to write a feature article on their experiences and get it published on Soccerlens.