Arsenal, Tottenham ready for historic clash in Hong Kong

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to make history as they face off in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong, marking the first time the iconic North London derby will take place outside the United Kingdom.  

The landmark fixture, announced by both clubs on Monday, has sparked excitement among football fans worldwide.

Set for July 31, the eagerly awaited match will be held at the newly completed Kai Tak Stadium, a world-class facility located in the southern Chinese city.

With a seating capacity of 50,000, the venue is poised to host an unforgettable showdown between the two Premier League giants.

Arsenal’s managing director, Richard Garlick, expressed enthusiasm about the unique opportunity, saying, “Playing against Tottenham Hotspur in the magnificent new Kai Tak Stadium will be a great experience for both teams and supporters, and will be a very important part of our pre-season preparations ahead of the new season.”

In addition to this historic derby, Liverpool will also take on Italian giants AC Milan as part of their pre-season schedule, promising a lineup of thrilling encounters for football fans across Asia.

Liverpool will play Serie A giants Milan on July 26 at the same stadium.

It will be a replay of the classic 2005 Champions League final, which the Reds won on penalties after being 3-0 down at half-time.

Arne Slot’s Liverpool are likely to head to Hong Kong as Premier League champions — they are currently 12 points clear with nine games left.

Liverpool will also travel to Japan for the first time during pre-season, the club said, without giving dates.

Hong Kong officially opened a major $3.85 billion sports park this month, with the futuristic Kai Tak Stadium at its centre.

The stadium saw its first major event at the weekend when it hosted the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens with more than 110,000 spectators attending over three days.

It is all part of efforts to restore the city’s image, which took a battering after political protests and a Beijing-imposed national security law.

Visitor numbers to Hong Kong also plummeted during almost three years of strict Covid curbs and have only recently begun to recover.