Why No Men’s Football Team Includes ‘London’ in Its Name

Fans have only just discovered the reason why no men’s football team from the English capital includes “London” in its name.

Across Europe, many major cities are represented by clubs bearing their name, such as Real Madrid in Spain, Paris Saint-Germain in France, Hertha Berlin in Germany, and Inter Milan in Italy.

In European competitions, clubs like Rangers and Celtic often have “Glasgow” added to their names, while Sporting becomes “Sporting Lisbon” and Red Star is referred to as “Red Star Belgrade.” However, London-based teams avoid including “London” in their name, even in European tournaments—a choice rooted in specific reasoning rather than mere coincidence.

According to the Daily Star, the absence of “London” in the names of football clubs stems from the city’s vast size. In Europe, only Moscow and Istanbul surpass London in population.

By the early 20th century, when football began to captivate the public, London was already a sprawling metropolis, far too large for a single club to define itself solely by the city. Football’s origins in private schools saw early dominance by teams like Old Etonians in amateur competitions. However, the rise of professionalism in northern towns led to the establishment of new clubs nationwide.

In London, due to the city’s size, teams were named after their local boroughs or areas rather than the city itself. For example, Crystal Palace, which claims to be the oldest professional club in the UK, was followed by Fulham, founded in 1879 as Fulham Church St Andrews Sunday School FC and widely regarded as London’s first club. They were soon joined by Glyn Cricket Club, now known as Leyton Orient.

Other clubs took names reflecting their local identity: Millwall was named after the windmills in the docklands, Arsenal after the munitions factory where workers played, and Chelsea after the neighboring borough since the name “Fulham” was already taken. Interestingly, Chelsea’s founder, Gus Mears, considered naming the team Blues London FC but ultimately chose not to, though his reasons remain unknown.