Soccer-The rivals next door, football stadiums almost within reach

By Tommy Lund

May 20 -

Parc des Princes - Stade Jean-Bouin - 20 metres

It mightiness be unacceptable to regain a finisher topping derby than the one set to unfold in Paris next season as Paris St Germain and newly-promoted Paris FC prepare to meet in Ligue 1.

With Paris FC moving into the rugby stadium just a stone's throw from PSG’s home, a new rivalry in the heart of the French capital is set to take root.

One street is all that separates the two stadiums, with French authorities concerned about the logistics and security challenges posed by the derbies and high-profile matches.

Tens of thousands of fans flood the area every week, raising fears over crowd control and safety.

However, Paris is not the only city facing challenges with stadiums that are so close to each other. Here’s a list of other football grounds that are extremely close in proximity.

Parken stadium - Osterbro stadium - 70 metres

The Danish national arena is also home to the country's powerhouse club FC Copenhagen. The centrally located stadium has hosted European Championship and Champions League matches. Just across a small parking lot lies the 4,000-seater Osterbro Stadium, where First Division club Boldklubben af 1893 — commonly known as B93 — host fixtures, along with several athletics clubs.

Malmo Stadium - Eleda Stadion - 100 metres

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s boyhood club Malmo FF is one of Sweden’s football giants, backed by a fiercely loyal fanbase. In 2009 they left behind the historic Malmo Stadium - a ground that once echoed to the roars of fans at the 1958 World Cup and 1992 European Championship.

Malmo's new home, the sleek and modern Eleda Stadium, rose just a stone’s throw away, with lower-division rivals IFK Malmo having played often at the old Malmo venue. However, the famous old ground's days may be numbered, with a brand-new track & field stadium set to rise in the same location by 2028.

Dens Park - Tannadice Park - 125 metres

Derby matches between the two main clubs in Scotland’s fourth-largest city are almost always a logistical nightmare -especially when Dundee and Dundee United clash multiple times a season in the Scottish Premiership. But the real pressure might fall on the residents of the street that separates their two stadiums - Dens Park and Tannadice Park - which each hold over 10,000 fans and sit almost within shouting distance.

Estadio Presidente Peron - Estadio Libertadores de America - 210 metres

In Argentina, local derbies are often fierce, but the clash between Racing Club and Independiente in the Primera Division, known as the Avellaneda derby, stands out. In the Buenos Aires suburb of Avellaneda, the two stadiums, Presidente Peron Stadium and Estadio Libertadores de America, are just over 200 metres apart and together hold nearly 100,000 fans.

Nottingham Forest - Notts County 250 metres

The City of Nottingham is divided by the River Trent, which also separates two of its main football clubs. Premier League club Nottingham Forest's City Ground sits on the south bank, while fourth-tier neighbours Notts County play at Meadow Lane, just 250 metres away across the river.

However, the gap in divisions makes a city derby a rare event. Their last meeting was a friendly in 2023, which Forest won 1-0. In fact, they have only faced each other five times over the past 15 years in friendlies.

Pasienky Stadion - Tehelne Pole 360 metres

Slovakia’s behemoth club Slovan Bratislava moved into the modern Tehelne Pole stadium in 2019, alongside the national team. The new ground sits across the street from Stadion Pasienky, where Slovan had played while the upgrade was underway. Today, it is former top club Inter Bratislava who call the 84-year-old Stadion Pasienky home. League champions in 2000 and 2001, they now compete in the Slovak third tier, within earshot of Slovan’s Champions League nights.

Partizan Stadium - Rajko Mitic Stadium 500 metres

The Serbian Eternal Derby between capital clubs FK Partizan and Red Star Belgrade has been called one of European football's most bitter rivalries. Tensions are only heightened by the fact that their stadiums are half a kilometre apart, separated only by a few residential blocks and a highway.

Henryk Reyman Stadium - Jozef Pilsudski Stadium 700 metres

The two football teams of the Polish city Krakow have been battling in a derby for over 100 years in what has been dubbed "the Holy War." However, the rivalry between Wisla Krakow and Cracovia did not stop them building stadiums uncomfortably close together, with only a large street and a park separating them.

Anfield - Goodison Park 800 metres

A defining part of English football is nearing its end as Everton prepare to leave behind their close quarters with Liverpool and move to a new stadium further from Anfield. For generations, the short walk through Stanley Park - linking Goodison and Anfield - has been a cherished ritual for fans on both sides of the Merseyside divide, a symbol of a rivalry lived out within touching distance.

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