Hundreds of Thousands Celebrate Arsenal’s First Premier League Title in 22 Years During North London Victory Parade
Hundreds of thousands of Arsenal fans filled north London’s streets on Sunday to celebrate the club’s first Premier League title in 22 years. Players displayed the trophy from open-top buses as the team completed a five-mile loop through Islington, circling Emirates Stadium. The women’s team, which earlier in the season won the first-ever Fifa Women’s Champions Cup, also joined the parade. The event came one day after the men’s team lost the Champions League final against Paris St-Germain in a penalty shootout in Budapest.
Jubilant Crowds Line the Route
Crowds of fans reached their arms out toward the buses as they traveled along the parade route. Flags waved while players hyped up the crowd, occasionally throwing Arsenal scarves out toward the fans. Fireworks could be heard along with the deafening sound of vuvuzelas. The air seemed to turn red, but the Gunners’ fans were anything but angry as they cheered their heroes. Some fans used flares to fill the air with red smoke to match the team’s color.
Fans Share Personal Stories of Long-Awaited Glory
Joe, who attended the parade with his young son Trey, told the BBC: “We’ve been knocking on the door for the last four seasons and we’ve finally done it. I’m so excited.” Joe and Trey secured front-row spots for Sunday’s parade. Following the team’s European near-miss on Saturday, Trey added: “In the late 2010s, they weren’t in the best form, they weren’t finishing in the top… six every season. So, it was a struggle. But now, since 2022, we’ve been finishing in the Champions League spots. It feels surreal to come up against such a good team with PSG.”
Theresa, born streets away from Arsenal’s home ground, was another fan celebrating in north London. She told the BBC: “You could say I’ve been a fan since I was born.” While she saw Arsenal win the trophy two decades ago, she said “it has been a long time since Arsenal has had anything to scream and roar about.”
Michael and Teju were also enjoying the parade. Michael said he’d been “an Arsenal fan since [Thierry Henry] – and Teju as my partner is one by default.” He called the club’s win “a dream come true,” adding “it’s only up from here. I’m over the moon.” He named Myles Lewis-Skelly as his current favorite player. Teju said she supported Bukayo Saka, as well as his partner Tolami Benson, whose outfits she admires.
Another fan told the BBC: “I had to be here because I waited 22 years for this.” He said he was only nine when Arsenal last won the trophy in the legendary Invincibles season, during which the team did not lose a single league game. He described Sunday’s parade as “one of the best days of [his] life.”
Policing and Safety Measures Deployed
The Metropolitan Police called the parade one of its largest policing operations of the year, deploying more than 500 officers alongside specialist search and drone teams. A dispersal zone was established to deter anti-social behavior, and there was little disturbance among the large crowds. However, the fire service issued warnings to fans after a stray flare caused a small fire at a hotel, and about 75 people were rescued “from incidents at height.”
Assistant Commissioner Pat Goulbourne, strategic event commander for the London Fire Brigade, said: “Fortunately, the fire caused only a small amount of damage to the exterior of the building. Pyrotechnics are also believed to have triggered the fire alarms at several other locations in the area. As supporters head home, we would urge them to avoid using pyrotechnics, particularly at stations.”
Context
Similar large-scale celebrations with safety concerns have occurred in other sports. In 2022, Los Angeles Dodgers fans celebrating a World Series win set off fireworks that caused minor structural damage near the stadium, prompting fire department warnings. In 2024, Manchester City’s Premier League title parade in Manchester saw police deploy hundreds of officers after flares ignited small fires along the route.