Arsenal fans celebrate Premier League title with victory parade
The Gunners end a 22-year league drought, with the women’s squad joining the men’s team in Islington despite recent Champions League defeat
Hundreds of thousands of supporters lined the streets of north London to celebrate Arsenal winning the Premier League title, ending a 22-year drought. Players paraded the trophy on open-top buses along a five-mile route through Islington, circling the Emirates Stadium. The men's team was joined by the women's squad, who won the inaugural Fifa Women's Champions Cup earlier in the season. The celebration occurred one day after the men's team lost the Champions League final to Paris St-Germain.
The atmosphere in Islington was described as jubilant, with fireworks and vuvuzelas echoing along the parade route. Fans reached out towards the buses as they passed, waving flags and hyping up the crowd. Players occasionally threw Arsenal scarves into the sea of supporters, marking a stark contrast to the disappointment felt in Budapest the previous day when the men's side lost the Champions League final to Paris St-Germain in a penalty shootout.
Joe, who attended the parade with his young son Trey, told the BBC that the club had been knocking on the door for the last four seasons before finally succeeding. Trey noted that while the team struggled in the late 2010s, they have consistently finished in Champions League qualification spots since 2022. He described the feeling of competing against a strong side like PSG as surreal, highlighting the club's recent upward trajectory.
Theresa, a lifelong fan born near the club's home ground, reflected on the long wait for glory. Although she witnessed Arsenal win the trophy two decades ago, she noted it had been a long time since the club had provided reasons to scream and roar. Her sentiments were echoed by another attendee who recalled being nine years old during the Invincibles season, when Arsenal won the league without losing a single game. He described the Sunday parade as one of the best days of his life.
Michael, a fan since the Thierry Henry era, called the club's win a dream come true, stating that the outlook is now positive. He identified Myles Lewis-Skelly as his current favourite player. His partner, Teju, supported Bukayo Saka, while also admiring the outfits of another attendee, Tolami Benson. The presence of both squads underscored a period of significant success for the club, balancing the men's league triumph with the women's historic continental victory.
