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Herbert Chapman (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Arsenal and Rangers: The historic 'Game of Champions'

Originally posted on Just Arsenal | Last updated Oct 16, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Arsenal hardly play Rangers these days, but for 35 years the “Game of Champions”, as it was called, was played almost religiously.

The two giants of English and Scottish football faced each other regularly, whether at Highbury or Ibrox, from the 1933/34 season all the way up to 1968/69. The friendly was first arranged by the legendary Herbert Chapman, the man who put The Gunners on the world map. Chapman had already established a successful annual fixture with French side Racing Club and sought to do the same with Rangers.

Herbert Chapman’s influence

Before his untimely passing in January 1934, Chapman had already delivered Arsenal’s first major honours – the 1930 FA Cup and the First Division titles in 1931 and 1933. His legacy, however, extended far beyond trophies.

He was revolutionary in his ideas, introducing the concept of floodlights, white footballs, and the famous WM formation. He changed Gillespie Road tube station to “Arsenal” in 1932, added white sleeves to the club’s red shirts in 1933, and introduced numbered shirts.

Following his death, Arsenal were top of the 1933/34 First Division table, and a bronze bust of Chapman was placed in Highbury’s halls to honour his remarkable contribution.

Despite dominating English football in their 1930s “Golden Era”, Arsenal lost 2-0 away to Rangers and then 3-1 at home during their early meetings, with Racing Club of France officials present as guests. In recognition of Arsenal’s international influence, Racing Club presented Chapman and club chairman Samuel Hill-Wood with France’s prestigious National Medal of Physical Culture.

That same medal was later passed to George Allison, Chapman’s successor, who guided Arsenal to two league titles in 1934 and 1938, along with the 1936 FA Cup after a 1-0 win over Sheffield United.

Historic matches between two giants

It took Arsenal three years to finally beat Rangers, winning 2-1 at Highbury in the 1936/37 campaign before narrowly losing 1-0 in Glasgow.

Several of these friendlies stand out in Arsenal’s long history. In 1951/52, a meeting between the champions of England and Scotland became the first ever match at Highbury played under floodlights. A remarkable 62,012 spectators packed into the stadium for the midweek clash, which saw Tom Whittaker’s Arsenal edge out Rangers 3-2.

The 1962/63 match carried special significance, honouring the career of Welsh goalkeeper Jack Kelsey, who made over 300 appearances for Arsenal between 1949 and 1963. The testimonial fixture ended in a 2-2 draw and celebrated a true club legend who would later be inducted into the Welsh Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

Arsenal’s most emphatic victory in the series came during the 1967/68 season under Bertie Mee, when The Gunners thrashed Rangers 3-0 at Highbury thanks to a brace from Jon Sammels and a goal from George Armstrong.

In 1973/74, after a brief hiatus from their regular meetings, Arsenal were invited back to Ibrox to celebrate Rangers’ centenary. The fixture, marking 100 years of the Glasgow club, saw The Gunners claim a 2-1 victory in front of a jubilant Scottish crowd.

The last meeting

The last time Arsenal and Rangers met was in 2021, when the sides played out a 2-2 draw to commemorate Rangers’ 150th anniversary. Eddie Nketiah, now at Crystal Palace, was among the scorers that day as Arsenal came from behind to secure a spirited draw.

From Herbert Chapman’s vision to Bertie Mee’s triumphs, the Arsenal-Rangers “Game of Champions” remains one of the most fascinating inter-club rivalries of its kind – one that celebrated footballing excellence on both sides of the border.

Liam Harding

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This article first appeared on Just Arsenal and was syndicated with permission.

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