Emirates Cup
Updated: Wikipedia source
The Emirates Cup is a pre-season association football competition hosted by English club Arsenal at their home ground, the Emirates Stadium in Holloway, London. Created in 2007 and named after the club's principal shirt sponsor, Emirates, the tournament consists of exhibition games with invited clubs held in the summer. It is not sanctioned as a competitive event and carries no official recognition. The competition was not staged in 2012 due to the London Olympics, in 2016 and 2018 due to stadium maintenance, and in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament format, though occasionally revised, has always prioritised entertainment and brand exposure for Emirates over competitive football. In its early editions, teams earned three points for a win, one for a draw, and none for a loss, with an extra point awarded for each goal scored. This was dropped in 2011 but reinstated from 2013. If teams finish level on points, total shots on target have been used as a further tiebreaker since 2009. Since 2019, the event has been shortened to a single-day format. Arsenal, as the organisers and perennial hosts, have won the most titles, winning the competition nine times. Other one-time winners include Hamburger SV (2008), New York Red Bulls (2011), Galatasaray (2013), Valencia (2014) and Lyon (2019). Lyon have appeared more often than any other visiting side, with four invitations. Arsenal are the current holders, having defeated Athletic Bilbao 3–0 in the 2025 edition.