What are the closest professional football stadiums to each other? Liverpool, Nottingham and more

Football is known as the beautiful game, but at the heart of the sport are the fierce local derbies between neighbouring clubs, a fact that holds regardless of whether you are from Birmingham or Buenos Aires.

Communities are represented by the teams in their area, and when they lock horns with their local rivals, there is much more on the line than mere points.

London alone boasts 16 stadiums on its football ground map, and it is no surprise to see the capital represented on this list as a result.

Likewise, the North West has long been the powerhouse of English football, and with such a concentration of Premier League giants in the region, it has managed to produce a pairing in this list's top five.

Read on as Football Ground Guide takes a look at the closest professional football stadiums to each other in the UK.

What are the closest professional football stadiums to each other? Top five pairings in the UK

5) Gaughan Group Stadium and London Stadium – 1.9 miles

Since West Ham United moved from the Boleyn Ground to the London Stadium in 2016 they have been playing their home matches less than two miles away from Leyton Orient's Brisbane Road.

The London Stadium was built for the Olympics, and it was believed at the time that Leyton Orient had a good chance of moving into it after the Games. However, their hopes were ultimately put to bed when the Hammers declared their interest in making the stadium their new permanent home.

As the two sides have not met in a league clash for over 30 years, it is impossible to say that a rivalry has been created since West Ham's move to Stratford a decade ago. The two London sides did meet in a friendly back in September 2021, with the pair playing out a goalless draw.

Now that West Ham have been relegated to the Championship, just one league separates the two sides.

4) Hill Dickinson Stadium and Anfield – 1.8 miles

Liverpool and Everton share one of English football’s oldest and fiercest local rivalries, despite outsiders often branding it the “friendly derby.” While both sets of supporters have famously stood together for causes like Justice for Hillsborough, there is no shortage of bitterness when the two sides meet on the pitch.

For decades, Anfield and Goodison Park were one of the most iconic pairings in world football, separated by just 0.8 miles across Stanley Park. The geographical position of the two stadiums was part of what made the derby so intense, two fanbases divided by little more than a small field.

Although Everton have now moved to Hill Dickinson Stadium, located on the banks of the River Mersey, the two clubs are still nearby to each other, with just 1.8 miles separating the two grounds.

Goodison Park remains in place and is now home to Everton Women, meaning the famous image of the two historic grounds still lives on, even if top-flight men’s football has shifted down towards the docks.

3) Stamford Bridge and Craven Cottage – 1.6 miles

Chelsea and Fulham are perhaps the exception to the rule in this list, as the rivalry between the West London clubs isn't anything to write home about. Chelsea fans consider the likes of Tottenham and Arsenal as bigger rivals in London, while the Blues also enjoy a fierce rivalry with Leeds, Liverpool and Man Utd. Fulham, meanwhile, are perhaps the most inoffensive club in the entire country.

Despite that, Stamford Bridge and Craven Cottage are close to one another in one of the most affluent areas of London. Although Chelsea's home is bigger, the location of Craven Cottage on the banks of the Thames makes it one of the best away days in the country.

2) Meadow Lane and City Ground – 0.4 miles

Notts County and Nottingham Forest have a severe dislike for each other, but this fixture has recently become a rarity due to County's slide down the EFL. Forest, meanwhile, enjoyed promotion to the Premier League in 2022 and have recently enjoyed a remarkable Europa League run.

The two clubs have arguably never been further apart, but County's promotion to League One at the end of the 2025/26 season gives hope that they could face each other again soon in the not-too-distant future.

Despite all that, the distance between Meadow Lane and the City Ground is just 0.4 miles, so the two clubs are never allowed to play at home on the same day, regardless of how many divisions separate them. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, but in this case, no love is lost between the two clubs despite not meeting on the pitch in 13 years.

1) Dens Park and Tannadice – 0.1 miles

The closest football stadiums to each other in the UK are Dens Park and Tannadice in Dundee, the homes of Dundee FC and Dundee United. The two clubs are currently competing in the Scottish Premiership, and just three points separated them at the end of the 2025/26 season.

As the image below demonstrates, the two stadiums are a stone's throw away from each other, making this one of the most unique areas in the UK in terms of football stadiums.

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