25. Connecticut vs. Tennessee (Women’s college basketball)
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These two schools will go down as the greatest rivalry in all of collegiate women’s basketball history. UConn leads the series 17-9 and has won all four meetings with the National Championship on the line, However, much of the heat of the rivalry came from the coaches. Late Vols legend Pat Summitt and the Huskies’ Geno Auriemma had a mutual respect for the other — and we’ll leave it at that. After a 13-year absence, having not played each other from 2007-2020, they resumed the series in which UConn has won all 4.
24. River Plate vs. Boca Juniors (Argetinian Primera Division)
Pagni/PANORAMIC/USA TODAY SportsDubbed the “Superclasico,” these two Argentinian teams have one of the fiercest in world football, deeply rooted in a history that dates back to their first official meeting in 1913. Both teams originate from Buenos Aires’ poor docklands, and have taken different paths with River moving to the more affluent area of Nunez, earning the nickname “Millionaires,” while Boca’s roots by a factory emitting foul odors led their fans to be dubbed “Manure Handlers.” This divide has also influenced their playing styles; River Plate is seen as the more strategic team aiming to entertain, whereas Boca Juniors embodies a gritty, never-give-up approach.
23. Philadelphia Flyers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)
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Part of the “Next Six,” these two were instant rivals for obvious reasons. Always intense and often chippy, it’s one of the great sports rivalries that usually lives up to the billing no matter how well either team is doing. Though the Flyers have appeared in the Stanley Cup Final eight times — two more than Pittsburgh, they’ve won two (1974, ’75) compared to the Penguins’ five (’91, ’92, ’09, ’16, ’17).
22. Boston Bruins vs. Montreal Canadiens (NHL)
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“Old Time Hockey” at its finest. These two Original Six giants have one of the oldest rivalries in all of sports. Though the Bruins have been the better of the two teams of late, this has always been about history and tradition. One of their meetings even initiated the infamous “Richard Riot,” which was not one of the prettiest moments in NHL history.
21. Liverpool vs. Manchester United (English Premier League)
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While Manchester United has its fun with neighbors Man City, this is one of the greatest rivalries in all of soccer. It’s safe to say that traditionalists and hardcore fans of both sides consider this to be the main rival of each club. It also has something to do with the fact that Liverpool and Man United are the two most successful teams in English football.
20. Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal (Tennis)
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There have been several great rivalries in men’s pro tennis, but it’s tough to beat this one. The two have squared off 39 times, most recently in the 2019 French Open semis, with Nadal winning 24 of those matches. Perhaps most impressive is that 24 of their meetings have come in tournament finals, with Nadal again holding the advantage, 14-10.
19. Dallas Cowboys vs. New York Giants (NFL)
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Various teams might consider the Cowboys their biggest rival (Eagles, Redskins, maybe even the 49ers), but tradition and intensity make this one among the best in the NFL. The teams have combined for 13 NFL championships or Super Bowl titles. It’s also one that gets the blood boiling for each fanbase and a rivalry that the great Bill Parcells has coached from both sides.
18. Oklahoma vs. Texas (College Football)
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Plenty of college football fans across the nation will claim that the school they support boasts one of the best rivalries of all time. But the Red River Showdown can hold its own with just about any other. Mostly because it’s about tradition. October, at the Cotton Bowl, when the State Fair of Texas is going on. It also doesn’t matter which team is having the better season. It’s always a special day when the Sooners and Longhorns meet.
17. Alabama vs. Auburn (College Football)
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Looking for intensity, passion, and even some misguided loyalty? The Iron Bowl has it all. For several years the game was played at Birmingham’s legendary Legion Field, but now it’s a home-and-home. The Crimson Tide lead the series 50-37-1, but one of the more memorable moments in the history of the rivalry came with Chris Davis’ “Kick Six” return to give Auburn a 34-28 victory in 2013.
16. Affirmed vs. Alydar (Horse Racing)
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When it comes to individual rivalries, it’s hard to top the one between these legendary racehorses. In 1978, Affirmed won the Triple Crown, with Alydar coming in second at each race — with the largest margin of victory by just 1 ½ lengths. The two horses competed in the same race 10 times, with Affirmed winning seven and the pair finishing 1-2 in all but one of those matchups.
15. Chicago Cubs vs. St. Louis Cardinals (MLB)
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Another rivalry of proximity, but one that seems more important to the Cubs, or at least their fan base, than the Cardinals. St. Louis has won two more NL pennants than the folks in the Windy City, and has captured 11 World Series titles to just three for Chicago. The two also completed what turned out to be one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history when Chicago sent future Hall of Fame speedster Lou Brock to the Cardinals for pitcher Ernie Broglio in 1964.
14. Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova (Tennis)
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There may never be a more competitive and respected rivalry in all of women’s tennis than this one. During the 1970s and into the ’80s, Evert and Navratilova were the gold standard of the sport. They won a combined 15-straight Grand Slam titles during one stretch in the ’80s. Navratilova went 36-25 when the two met in a tournament final, and was 10-4 in those Grand Slam events.
13. Los Angeles Dodgers vs. San Francisco Giants (MLB)
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This rivalry goes back to when both franchises were based in New York. With the Dodgers hailing from Brooklyn (famously at Ebbets Field) and the Giants in Manhattan (Polo Grounds), the two teams were natural rivals. That continued when they moved west. The Dodgers and Giants, whose current fan bases don’t like each other, are accomplished in their divisions, with the Dodgers having won one more pennant (24) than the Giants (23).
12. Montreal Canadiens vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL)
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The oldest and arguably greatest NHL rivalry is between these Original Six franchises. In addition to the more than 800 meetings between Canada’s most storied clubs, they’ve met five times with the Stanley Cup on the line. The Maple Leafs won the cup on three of those occasions, most recently in 1967.
11. Jack Nicklaus vs. Arnold Palmer (Golf)
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Easily golf’s greatest rivalry, and right up there with any on the individual front. What made it even better was just how much these two respected each other as golfers and people. Nicklaus won a record 18 Majors, 11 more than Palmer, but Arnie was arguably the more popular golfer and remains so even after his death.
10. India vs. Pakistan (Cricket)
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Here’s one rivalry that goes beyond the realm of sports. The political and diplomatic tension between the two nations has played a major part in it all. The first Test series between the two came in the early 1950s and it remains the biggest rivalry in the sport. While there’s a good chance the casual American sports fan knows little about cricket, any competition between these two should be witnessed at least once.
9. Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier (Boxing)
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It began in 1971 with the “Fight of the Century,” when Frazier handed Ali his first pro defeat. Three years later, the two hooked up again and Ali won by a unanimous decision. Then came 1975’s rubber match, otherwise known as the “Thrilla in Manilla.” In what’s considered the most brutally competitive and grueling fight ever, Ali won on TKO after Frazier’s corner stopped the fight before the final round with their fighter’s eyes swollen shut.
8. Celtic vs. Rangers (Scottish Premiership Soccer)
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It’s the “Old Firm,” and when Celtic and Rangers get together there’s more than just a football match to be played. There is no real love lost between the sides or their fans, who essentially are defined by their allegiance. And why not? These clubs have combined for more than 100 titles in Scotland.
7. Barcelona vs. Real Madrid (La Liga Soccer)
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“El Clasico” continues to be the premier world football event. It’s always special and entertaining when La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid get together. It’s like a holiday when these sides meet, whether on the domestic front or in European competition. It helps that both sides continue to feature some of the best talent in the world.
6. Chicago Bears vs. Green Bay Packers (NFL)
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It does not get much more classic than Bears-Packers, the most played matchup in all of football. Green Bay leads the series 107-95-6 and has dominated the matchup in recent years, though the Bears won the NFC North title in 2018. Neither fanbase is particularly fond of the other, but tradition should supersede the hate. The two franchises have combined for 22 NFL Championships and Super Bowl titles, and have a combined 65 Hall of Famers.
5. Duke vs. North Carolina (College Basketball)
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It’s the best in college basketball and has been since the 1980s. It’s also among the fiercest rivalries in any sport, especially when taking into consideration these fan bases’ disdain toward the other. The Tar Heels lead the all-time series and hold a 6-5 advantage when it comes to the National Championships. Don’t forget, three of the greatest coaches ever — Dean Smith, Mike Krzyzewski, and Roy Williams — are part of it.
4. Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers (NBA)
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Nothing comes close when talking pro basketball rivalries. That’s mainly because the Celtics and Lakers have gotten together 12 times in the NBA Finals. Now, Boston has won nine of those matchups, but Los Angeles has won three of the last four. These two franchises are also responsible for perhaps the greatest individual rivalry in the history of the game — Boston’s Larry Bird vs. LA’s Magic Johnson.
3. Michigan vs. Ohio State (College Football)
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Plain and simple, these schools just don’t like each other when it comes to football. Things really heated up when Ohio State’s Woody Hayes and Michigan’s Bo Schembechler faced off in the late 1960s and into the ’70s. The Wolverines own a 60-51-6 advantage in the series, with their most recent victory taking place on November 25, 2023, en route to a national championship.
2. Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees (MLB)
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Babe Ruth, Bucky Dent, Curt Schilling’s bloody sock, Aaron Boone. No rivalry in baseball — other than Dodgers-Giants — comes close to the intensity associated with Red Sox-Yankees. And that’s just what’s going on in the seats. Proximity and passion fuel this rivalry, which has become a worldwide event thanks to just about every matchup being available on national TV. The Yankees lead the all-time series, but that doesn’t really matter to their fans since Boston has won two World Series since New York’s last in 2009.
1. Army vs. Navy (College football)
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No rivalry in all of sports commands more respect than Army-Navy. The matchups are intense in every sport the two storied service academies compete against each other in, but when we combine the tradition and pageantry of an Army-Navy football Saturday there is nothing better. Those who have attended ‘The Army-Navy Game’ encourage even the casual sports fan to make a pilgrimage to this event. Though Army has won the last three meetings, the Midshipmen lead the all-time series 62-55-7.
