Chelsea vs Arsenal is one of the tightest debates in English soccer. Arsenal own 14 league titles and a record 14 FA Cups, while Chelsea have collected 11 European and world trophies, including two Champions League crowns. Across five criteria, Arsenal edge it by the narrowest of margins.
How we compared the two clubs
Both clubs sit among the biggest names in world soccer, so the comparison needs clear rules. We judged them on five criteria: domestic trophies, Premier League era success, European and world honors, head to head results, and history and records.
Each section is decided on the numbers. Community Shields and minor cups are left out of the trophy counts to keep the comparison focused on major honors.
Domestic trophies: Arsenal win
Arsenal have the deeper domestic record by a wide distance. The Gunners have won 14 English league titles, most recently in 2025/26, when Mikel Arteta’s side finally ended a 22 year wait for the crown.
The FA Cup belongs to Arsenal more than to any other club in England. Their 14 wins in the competition are a record, built over a century from the Herbert Chapman era of the 1930s to the Arsene Wenger years.
Chelsea strike back in the League Cup with five wins to Arsenal’s two, a gap that reflects how often the Blues have dominated cup runs since 2005. That is still well short of what Arsenal have stacked up in the two biggest domestic competitions.
- League titles: Arsenal 14, Chelsea 6
- FA Cups: Arsenal 14, Chelsea 8
The Premier League era: Chelsea win
Chelsea have been the more successful Premier League club since the competition launched in 1992. The Blues have won five Premier League titles, in 2004/05, 2005/06, 2009/10, 2014/15 and 2016/17.
Arsenal sit one behind with four, having won in 1997/98, 2001/02, 2003/04 and 2025/26. The gap is small, and Arsenal’s long 22 year drought between their last two titles is the main reason Chelsea stay ahead.
Chelsea’s first title under Jose Mourinho in 2004/05 also produced a mark that still stands. The Blues conceded just 15 goals that season, the fewest by any team in Premier League history.
- Premier League titles: Chelsea 5, Arsenal 4
Europe and the world: Chelsea win
This is Chelsea’s strongest category and the clearest result of the comparison. The Blues have won the Champions League twice, beating Bayern Munich in Munich in 2012 and Manchester City in Porto in 2021.
Their full European and world collection is enormous. Chelsea have won two Europa League titles, one Conference League, two Cup Winners’ Cups, two UEFA Super Cups and two FIFA Club World Cups, and in 2025 they became the first club to win all four main UEFA competitions.
American fans saw the latest chapter in person. Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in July 2025 to win the first Club World Cup featuring 32 teams, with Cole Palmer scoring twice.
Arsenal’s European honors are limited to the 1970 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and the 1994 Cup Winners’ Cup. The Gunners have reached two Champions League finals, losing to Barcelona in 2006 and to PSG on penalties in Budapest in May 2026.
- European and world trophies: Chelsea 11, Arsenal 2
Head to head: Arsenal win
Arsenal hold the advantage when the two clubs meet. In 216 meetings since 1907, the Gunners have won 88 times, Chelsea 66 times, and 62 games have ended level.
Chelsea controlled the fixture for over a decade during the Mourinho and Didier Drogba years, losing only four of 28 meetings between 2004 and 2015. Arteta’s Arsenal have flipped that trend, going 12 straight games unbeaten against the Blues through September 2026.
- Head to head record: Arsenal 88 wins, Chelsea 66 wins, 62 draws
History and records: Arsenal win
Arsenal’s history gives them the final point. The club has played in the English top flight every season since 1919, the longest unbroken run of any club in the country.
The Invincibles of 2003/04 remain one of the great achievements in world soccer. Wenger’s side went all 38 league games unbeaten, part of an English record run of 49 straight league matches without a defeat.
Chelsea’s history is shorter at the very top, with their first league title arriving in 1955 and the second only in 2005. The Roman Abramovich era turned the Blues into a global force at remarkable speed, and their record since 2003 stands up to any club in Europe.
The verdict
Arsenal win the all time comparison 3-2, and the margin is thin. The Gunners take domestic trophies, head to head results and history, and Chelsea take the Premier League era and the European stage.
On total major honors the race is almost level, with 32 for Arsenal and 30 for Chelsea. Chelsea’s two Champions League titles are the biggest prizes either club has ever won, and one Arsenal win in Europe’s top competition would settle this debate for good.
Fans in the US can follow both clubs every week in the Premier League on Peacock and NBC Sports.
FAQ
Which club has won more trophies, Chelsea or Arsenal?
Arsenal have won 32 major trophies and Chelsea 30, excluding Community Shields. Arsenal lead in league titles and FA Cups, and Chelsea lead in European and world honors.
Has Arsenal ever won the Champions League?
No. Arsenal have reached two Champions League finals, in 2006 and 2026, and lost both. Chelsea have won the competition twice, in 2012 and 2021.
Who has more Premier League titles, Chelsea or Arsenal?
Chelsea have five Premier League titles to Arsenal’s four. Arsenal’s most recent title came in 2025/26.
Where can I watch Chelsea and Arsenal in the US?
Premier League games involving Chelsea and Arsenal air on NBC Sports networks in the United States, with most matches streaming live on Peacock.
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