Top 10 Biggest Team Rivalries in Sports

In sports, obviously there are winners and there are losers. And since athletic competitions have been played and witnessed for over a century, the toll of time has shown that some teams just have more contempt for a particular opponent more so than any other.

In our countdown below, we take a look at the 10 most heated team rivalries throughout the entire sporting world. Not all were born out of hatred, and most have been molded mainly because of how frequent two certain sides have been squaring off. Nevertheless, these top-bill clashes between fellow archenemies have certainly made for some of the best moments in sports history.

Attrition isn’t just born out of team-based competition; check out our other special feature on the Top 10 Biggest Individual Rivalries in Sports after this to witness those historical battles that had to be settled mano a mano.

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The Top 10 Sports Team Rivalries of All-time

10. Army vs. Navy

For 85 years, the Army vs. Navy college football rivalry has been the ultimate annual display of what sports are really all about.

In spite of not being creams of the collegiate crop, these two U.S. Armed Forces programs still leave it all out on the football field every single season to exhibit power, teamwork and sportsmanship – all for the Red, White and Blue.

9. Texas vs. Oklahoma

With 110 meetings in as many years, the “Red River Rivalry” between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns is as heated an event as they come. So much so that these two teams have had to duel in a neutral field (the Cotton Bowl in Dallas) in all but three occasions.

8. San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

What started out as an inter-city competition in New York way back in 1890 and later became the Pacific’s most notable inter-state clash, the Giants-Dodgers rivalry is about as neck-and-neck as they come. In 2,414 lifetime meetings between these two Californian icons, the Giants only have a mere 32-game advantage over the Dodgers.

7. Real Madrid vs. FC Barcelona

We here in the good ol’ US of A may not be too happy about this fact, but would you believe that Spanish football clubs Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are the two most-followed teams in all of social media? Oh, and Los Blancos and Barça are two of the most valuable teams int the world too. Their rivalry, better known as “El Clásico”, has mesmerized fans worldwide 263 times over.

6. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Montreal Canadiens

Who says Canadians were nice people? Them Northern folk sure take their hockey seriously, and there’s been no greater and ironically fouler rivalry than that of the Leafs and the Habs – the longest on-going rivalry in the NHL.

The two largest cities in Canada have seen each other five times in the Stanley Cup and 15 times in the playoffs, and we still get a good fix of this showdown on a yearly basis with their annual divisional encounters.

5. Duke vs. North Carolina

In 1920, college basketball’s fiercest rivalry was born. Undoubtedly, Duke-North Carolina clashes sport some of the rowdiest crowds. And how could it not be? The two teams are separated a mere 10 miles away from each other, and one’s a private school (Duke) and the other one’s public (UNC). Expect sparks in varied hues of blue to fly every single year in North Carolina.

4. Michigan vs. Ohio State

Since 1897, the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry has been home to many of college football’s most thrilling moments. Seeing that both schools have long been mainstays as elite contenders for the national championship, their often regular season-ending battles have led to many Big Ten title game memories and unforgettable Rose Bowl moments alike.

3. Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers

Not only is the Bears-Packers rivalry the oldest in the NFL, it also features two of the most decorated professional football teams in league history with a combined 22 NFL championships (counting the pre-Super Bowl era).

Hard to believe right now that the Bears have a two-game advantage over the Packers in their life-long series, 94-92-6, but we all know that any given Bears-Packers game can go either way, whether it be in the wintry confines of Soldier or equally frigid Lambeau.

2. Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers

It’s the epitome of East-meets-West in the sporting world: Celtics vs. Lakers. The NBA’s biggest rivalry also showcased arguably the best individual rivalry of the sport in Magic vs. Bird. And who could forget the thrilling saga of  Kobe vs. The Big 3?

Ever wonder how the NBA gained worldwide attention in a flash? Look no further than these two hardwood juggernauts and their epic encounters over the years.

1. New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox

The Curse of the Bambino. 2,175 lifetime meetings. The rowdiest and most passionate fans in all of baseball. Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park classics. Johnny Damon breaks the curse, only to cast another hex… We rest our case.

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