Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur are set to make history by playing the first-ever North London derby outside the United Kingdom, with the two clubs confirming a pre-season showdown in Hong Kong.
The highly anticipated clash will take place at the city’s newly built Kai Tak Stadium on July 31, just over two weeks before the start of the Premier League season.
Adding to the excitement, Liverpool will take on Italian giants AC Milan at the same venue on July 26 in a rematch of their legendary 2005 Champions League final, where the Reds staged a dramatic comeback to lift the trophy on penalties after being 3-0 down at halftime.
Former Tottenham and England defender, Ledley King, acknowledged the significance of the derby taking place so far from home, stating:
“We’re obviously neighbours back home so it’s going to be strange to come all the way across the other side of the world to play your neighbours, but it’s fantastic for the fans in Asia.
“It’s a pre-season game, but there’s no friendlies when these two teams play each other.”
Liverpool, currently dominating the Premier League with a 12-point lead and nine games left to play, could arrive in Hong Kong as the reigning champions.
Following their match against Milan, Arne Slot’s side will continue their pre-season tour with a trip to Japan, although exact dates have yet to be confirmed.
Hong Kong recently unveiled its $3.85 billion sports park, with the cutting-edge Kai Tak Stadium as its centerpiece.
The venue hosted its first major event last weekend, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, drawing over 110,000 spectators across three days.
The city hopes such high-profile events will help restore its global image after years of political unrest and strict COVID-19 restrictions, which significantly impacted tourism.
With Premier League heavyweights and European elites set to battle it out in Hong Kong, football fans in Asia are in for a thrilling summer of action.
