BVB v Arsenal: a look back at the history of the Emirates Cup | OneFootball

Will Borussia Dortmund follow in the footsteps of Hamburger SV? On Sunday (9 August, 3 p.m. CEST), BVB will visit Arsenal as part of the Emirates Cup.

Originally, the cup was played over a full weekend in a group format featuring four top European teams. It was based on a special points system in which every goal scored earned an additional point. Since 2019, however, the format has been streamlined. Since then, it has consisted of just one major showcase friendly between Arsenal and a prominent international guest club. The winner of the match takes home the trophy.

At the second edition of the Emirates Cup in 2008, Hamburger SV added its name to the list of winners. After a 2–1 defeat to Real Madrid, the club from Hamburg responded with an emphatic 3–0 win over Juventus Turin. Seven points were enough to finish ahead of the other three teams.

With VfL Wolfsburg (2015) and RB Leipzig (2017), the Gunners invited Bundesliga clubs on two more occasions. Both teams finished in third place.

Win and defeat in pre-season

Unsurprisingly, Arsenal are the record winners of the Emirates Cup. The North London club has lifted the trophy nine times, most recently in 2025 with a 3–0 win over Athletic Bilbao. Non-English clubs have won it five times. Alongside HSV in 2008, the other winners were the New York Red Bulls (2011), Galatasaray Istanbul (2013), Valencia CF (2014) and Olympique Lyon (2019). When Lyon triumphed, two women’s teams also faced off. Bayern Munich beat the hosts 1–0.

Like BVB, Arsenal are also in the middle of their preparations for the new season. On 1 August, the English side won 4–1 away to Spanish top-flight relegated side Girona. Last Wednesday (5 August), however, the Gunners lost 3–1 to Real Betis on neutral ground in Dublin.

Photo: Getty Images

After the recent setback, title-winning coach Mikel Arteta (44) urged calm: “We have to be very smart in order to learn from it.” Whether his team has taken those lessons on board will become clear as early as Sunday, when Borussia Dortmund visit the Emirates Stadium.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.