M69 derby

M69 derby
The January 2026 M69 Derby at the CBS Arena, which Coventry won 2-1
LocationCoventry/Leicester (England)
TeamsCoventry City
Leicester City
First meetingLeicester City 1–0 Coventry City
1919–20 Second Division
(27 September 1919)[1]
Latest meetingCoventry City 2–1 Leicester City
2025–26 EFL Championship
(17 January 2026)
Next meetingTBD
StadiumsCoventry Building Society Arena (Coventry City)
King Power Stadium (Leicester City)
Statistics
Meetings total89
Most winsLeicester City (38)
All-time seriesLeicester City: 38
Draw: 24
Coventry City: 26
Largest victoryCoventry City 1–8 Leicester City
1964–65 Football League Cup
(1 December 1964)[1]
Coventry City
Leicester City

The M69 derby is a football match played between Coventry City and Leicester City. It takes its name from the motorway that connects the two cities, which are only 24 miles (38 km) apart.

The M69 derby made its return during the 2023–24 season after an eleven year hiatus. The most recent meeting between the two clubs was a 2-1 home win for Coventry on 17 January 2026.[2]

The Rise of the Derby

Coventry and Leicester's traditional rivals have historically been considered to be Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest respectively. However, the fixture became increasingly significant between 2001 and 2011 with both clubs' traditional rivals often being in a different league. According to a survey by The Football Pools published in 2008, this fixture is the 26th fiercest rivalry in English football.[3]

In the 2011/12 season Coventry were relegated to League One meaning the M69 Derby would not take place for the first time in eight seasons. A period of turmoil followed for The Sky Blues under their controversial former owners, London based hedge fund SISU Capital as they left their home at the Coventry Building Society Arena twice to play home games in Northampton and Birmingham respectively as well as suffering a further relegation to League Two in 2017.[4][5]

Whilst Coventry struggled to even survive as a club, Leicester flourished and entered a golden period in their history. After winning promotion back to the Premier League in 2014, The Foxes shocked the entire footballing world by winning the 2015–16 Premier League and would go on to add another trophy to their collection after a 1-0 victory against Chelsea in the 2021 FA Cup final.[6]

Coventry's defeat to Luton Town in the 2023 EFL Championship play-off final coupled with Leicester's relegation from the 2022–23 Premier League the very next day ensured that after an 11 year hiatus the M69 Derby would return in the 2023/24 season.[7]

The two sides played each other on the opening weekend of the 2023–24 EFL Championship, Coventry had looked set for a first ever win at the King Power Stadium before two late goals from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall gave The Foxes a 2-1 win.[8]

In January 2024 Coventry got their first win in the fixture since 2008 as they won a fiery encounter at The Coventry Building Society Arena. Two goals from Callum O'Hare either side of a Milan van Ewijk strike secured a comeback win after Dewsbury-Hall had put Leicester ahead.[9]

The derby was not played in the 2024/25 season as Leicester won immediate promotion back to the Premier League under the stewardship of Enzo Maresca who led them to The Championship title, however it returned again in 2025/26 as The Foxes latest foray into the top flight lasted a solitary season and they were again relegated.[10]

Crowd Trouble

The fixture between the two clubs has historically been marred by incidents of violence. In September 1984, a pitch invasion took place two minutes into a First Division game at Highfield Road. In October 2004, trouble broke out in Coventry with police officers pelted with missiles.[11] In February 2008, up to 100 hooligans were involved in a brawl on a street nearby to the Coventry Building Society Arena.[12] On 3 March 2012, supporters of both clubs clashed on a street in Leicester, with windows on a mini-bus allegedly smashed. During the 2023–24 season, offensive banners were displayed on the M69 motorway ahead of both fixtures.[13]

Statistics

The first fixture between the two clubs was a Second Division game on 27 September 1919 which resulted in a 1–0 win for Leicester. The biggest victory resulted in an 8–1 Leicester victory in the League Cup at Highfield Road on 4 December 1964.[1]

Coventry have been heavily beaten on two other occasions at Filbert Street, with both matches ending in a 5–1 win for Leicester. The first was in 1924–25, when Arthur Chandler scored a hat-trick, and in 1984–85, when Gary Lineker scored a brace.[1]

Since moving to their current stadium in 2002, Leicester have never been defeated by Coventry. Coventry held the same record at the Coventry Building Society Arena from 2005 to 2011. Coventry were in the Premier League when they last won at Leicester on 7 April 2001.[14]

Coventry wins Draws Leicester wins
League 24 23 37
FA Cup 2 1 0
League Cup 0 0 1
Total 26 24 38

Game list (since 1984)

The most recent fixture resulted in a 2-1 Coventry win at the Coventry Building Society Arena on 17 January 2026.

  Coventry City win   Leicester City win   Draw 
Date Competition Stadium Score Leicester scorers Coventry scorers Attendance Ref
17 Jan 2026 Championship Coventry Building Society Arena 2–1 James Simms, Wright [15]
20 Sept 2025 Championship King Power Stadium 0–0 30,857 [16]
Leicester relegated to Championship 2024–25
Leicester promoted to Premier League 2023–24
13 Jan 2024 Championship Coventry Building Society Arena 3–1 Dewsbury-Hall (pen); (Fatawu sent off) O'Hare (2), van Ewijk 29,914 [17]
6 Aug 2023 Championship King Power Stadium 2–1 Dewsbury-Hall (2) McFadzean 31,763 [18]
Leicester relegated to Championship 2022–23
Coventry promoted to Championship 2019–20
Coventry promoted to League One 2017–18
Coventry relegated to League Two 2016–17
Leicester promoted to Premier League 2013–14
Coventry relegated to League One 2011–12
3 Mar 2012 Championship King Power Stadium 2–0 Nugent, Beckford; (Konchesky sent off) 25,487 [14]
6 Aug 2011 Championship Ricoh Arena 0–1 Peltier 21,102 [19]
26 Feb 2011 Championship Walkers Stadium 1–1 Naughton King 25,356 [20]
11 Sept 2010 Championship Ricoh Arena 1–1 King Platt 20,060 [21]
21 Mar 2010 Championship Walkers Stadium 2–2 King (2) McPake, Deegan 23,093 [22]
3 Oct 2009 Championship Ricoh Arena 1–1 Waghorn Clingan 22,209 [23]
Leicester promoted to Championship 2008–09
Leicester relegated to League One 2007–08
23 Feb 2008 Championship Ricoh Arena 2–0 Ward (pen), Best 23,129 [24]
12 Jan 2008 Championship Walkers Stadium 2–0 Howard, Hayles 23,905 [25]
17 Feb 2007 Championship Walkers Stadium 3–0 Horsfield (2), Johnson 25,816 [26]
18 Aug 2006 Championship Ricoh Arena 0–0 20,261 [27]
17 Apr 2006 Championship Ricoh Arena 1–1 Stearman; (Kisnorbo sent off) John 26,672 [28]
23 Oct 2005 Championship Walkers Stadium 2–1 de Vries (2) McSheffrey 22,991 [29]
8 Nov 2004 Championship Walkers Stadium 3–0 Nalis, Tiatto, Heath 22,479 [30]
16 Oct 2004 Championship Highfield Road 1–1 Dublin Makin (og) 18,054 [31]
Leicester relegated to Championship 2003–04
Leicester promoted to Premier League 2002–03
22 Mar 2003 First Division Highfield Road 1–2 McKinlay, Scowcroft Jansen 16,610 [32]
29 Oct 2002 First Division Walkers Stadium 2–1 Taggart, Deane; (Summerbee sent off) Partridge 27,139 [33]
Leicester relegated to First Division 2001–02
Coventry relegated to First Division 2000–01
7 Apr 2001 Premier League Filbert Street 1–3 Akinbiyi Bellamy, Carsley, Hartson 19,545 [34]
10 Dec 2000 Premier League Highfield Road 1–0 Bellamy 17,283 [35]
27 Nov 1999 Premier League Highfield Road 0–1 Heskey 22,021 [36]
11 Aug 1999 Premier League Filbert Street 1–0 Izzet (pen) (Burrows sent off) 19,196 [37]
24 Apr 1999 Premier League Filbert Street 1–0 Marshall 20,224
23 Jan 1999 FA Cup Filbert Street 0–3 Whelan, Froggatt, Telfer; (Boateng sent off) 21,207
28 Nov 1998 Premier League Highfield Road 1–1 Heskey; (Sinclair sent off) Huckerby 19,894
4 Apr 1998 Premier League Filbert Street 1–1 Wilson Whelan 21,137
29 Nov 1997 Premier League Highfield Road 0–2 Fenton, Elliott (pen) 18,309
8 Mar 1997 Premier League Highfield Road 0–0 19,220
21 Dec 1996 Premier League Filbert Street 0–2 Dublin (2) 20,038
Leicester promoted to Premier League 1995–96
Leicester relegated to First Division 1994–95
25 Feb 1995 Premier League Highfield Road 4–2 Lowe, Roberts Flynn (2), Marsh, Ndlovu 20,633
3 Oct 1994 Premier League Filbert Street 2–2 Roberts (2) Dublin, Wegerle 19,372
Leicester City promoted to Premier League 1993–94[38]
Leicester City relegated to Second Division 1986–87
4 May 1987 First Division Filbert Street 1–1 Ramsey Gynn 14,903 [39]
6 Dec 1986 First Division Highfield Road 1–0 Regis 12,320 [39]
8 Mar 1986 First Division Filbert Street 2–1 Smith, McAllister Pickering 10,744 [39]
6 Oct 1985 First Division Highfield Road 3–0 Gibson, Bowman, Regis 10,959 [39]
23 Dec 1985 First Division Filbert Street 5–1 Lynex, Rennie, Lineker (2), Smith Micky Gynn 18,016 [39]
1 Sept 1984 First Division Highfield Road 2–0 Latchford, Bennett 13,510 [39]

Represented Both Clubs

Played for Coventry, then Leicester

Played for Leicester, then Coventry

Managed Coventry, then managed Leicester

Played for and managed Coventry, played for Leicester

Played for Leicester, managed Coventry

Played for and managed Leicester, played for Coventry

See also

References

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  38. ^ The 22 clubs of the Football League First Division broke away to form the Premier League in 1992; with the remaining divisions of the Football League renumbered accordingly.
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