HISTORY LOOMS AS HONG KONG FOOTBALL FESTIVAL HOSTS FIRST-EVER NORTH LONDON DERBY PLAYED OUTSIDE OF THE UK AT SOLD-OUT KAI TAK STADIUM
History will be made tomorrow when the first-ever North London Derby played outside the United Kingdom between rivals Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur takes place as part of the Hong Kong Football Festival (HKFF) at Kai Tak Stadium.
The sold-out match highlights the strong excitement among fans and the chance to break Kai Tak Stadium's attendance record of 49,704, set last Saturday during HKFF's match between Liverpool FC vs AC Milan. Supporters are eager to celebrate the city's first international club football tournament at its stunning new stadium.
Battle-lines have been drawn between the two English Premier League giants who have brought star-studded squads, setting the stage for a thrilling North London Derby.
"It's a great idea," Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said of playing the derby in Hong Kong. "Traditionally it is a rivalry, but at the same time to do it in a completely different place is brilliant. I think it's an opportunity for everybody to feel that [rivalry] and for us it increases the competition level again, it brings a different challenge to the game. [We're] so lucky to play in this incredible stadium with 50,000 people that I'm sure they're going to be super loud and passionate."
With excitement for the North London Derby night reaching fever pitch, Arsenal fans were out in force tonight to cheer on their heroes, with over 18,500 supporters attending tonight's Open Training. That brings total attendance across the four Open Training sessions held by HKFF participating clubs to over 61,000.
Arsenal's new signing Viktor Gyokeres has made the tour, alongside the 15-year-old sensation Max Dowman - and the centre of attention tonight. Tottenham Hotspur superstar Son Heung-min will lead their squad into the fray alongside marquee signing Mohammed Kudus.
Among the thousands of fans attending today's Open Training were beneficiaries of a programme put in place by event organiser TEG Sport and local non-profit CityLab HK that gave 11,000 complimentary Open Training tickets to youth-focused community associations and underrepresented groups across the city.
These initiatives underscore HKFF's commitment to ensure the passion of football reaches beyond the stadium and into the heart of Hong Kong's communities. This drive was perfectly illustrated by the outreach to the Hong Kong, China Sports Association of the Deaf and the hosting of members of the Hong Kong China Deaf Football Team, who are preparing for December's 2025 National Games for Persons with Disabilities, being co-hosted by Hong Kong, Guangdong and Macao.
"We have definitely been inspired by watching them," said Anthony Cheung, Chairman of Hong Kong, China Sports Association of The Deaf. "Every pass and every sprint was full of determination. The atmosphere was first-class, and every cheer from the fans gave me goosebumps."
As Kai Tak's first-ever major international club football tournament, the Hong Kong Football Festival is helping showcase the city's brand-new multi-billion-dollar sporting complex to the world and reinforcing the city's role as Asia's hub for hosting mega international events.
Hong Kong Football Festival is proud of being an "M" Mark event that helps enhance the image of Hong Kong as Asia's sports event capital. The "M" Mark awarded by the Major Sports Events Committee, symbolising intense, spectacular and signature event in the territory sports calendar.