The Derby of Budapest () is major football rivalry between Ferencvárosi TC and Újpest FC; however, other clubs from Budapest are also included such as Budapest Honvéd FC, Vasas SC, and MTK Budapest FC. Traditionally the Ferencváros - MTK rivalry was the most prestigious fixture but this has since been replaced by Ferencváros - Újpest.
Overview 1901-1930: The dual dominance of Ferencváros & MTK
From the onset of professional football in Hungary, it has always been mostly dominated by teams from Budapest. The inaugural season of the Hungarian football league in 1901 was won by the now defunct Budapesti TC. In 1903 Ferencváros would win their first national championship, and MTK followed suit the next year. For the next three decades, these two clubs would exert utter dominance over the silverware, winning all league-titles between 1904 and 1930 between themselves. Due to the two clubs' proximity, opposition in ideology, and their complete dominance of the league in its first four decades of existence, FTC and MTK would embark on a fierce rivalry with one another, known as Örökrangadó.
In 1911 Ferencváros became the first team to win the championship three consecutive times. By 1913 they had won their fifth straight league-title, a new Hungarian record. Between 1916 and 1925 MTK won the national championship 9 consecutive times.
1930-1950: The emergence of Újpest, Csepel's first titles 1930 marked the first season that Újpest were crowned champions of Hungary. This was the first time in 26 years that a club other than the "big two" of FTC and MTK won the league-title. By this point MTK had won 14 national championships, while FTC had 13. During the 1930s the dominance of both clubs who had been dominating the league up to that point was challenged by Újpest. The 4th district club defeated Ferencváros in April 1931 and would go on to win 5 titles throughout the decade.
In 1932 Ferencváros won the league with a 100% win percentage, as they managed to win all 22 of their games, and outscored their opponents 105 to 18.
In 1940 MTK disbanded due to the club's Jewish affiliation, as restrictions on people of Jewish ethnicity were becoming gradually more strict in the Kingdom of Hungary.
In 1941 FTC overtook MTK as the most decorated Hungarian club, after winning their 16th league-title.
In 1942 and '43 Weisz Manfréd FC Csepel won back-to-back national titles, as they became the fourth Budapest-based team to acquire silverware. In 1944 Nagyváradi AC became the first non-Budapest club to become national champions. In 1945 MTK were founded again.
In 1945 the professional league returned after a one-year hiatus, and Újpest won the first of what would eventually be a three-peat of championships.
1950-1969: The emergence of Honvéd & Vasas, politicization of domestic football
the 1950s saw drastic changes in the Hungarian league, both on and off the pitch. As the country was placed under Soviet sphere of influence, football and politics became very much intertwined. Certain clubs were forced to become teams of specific branches of government, and were thus favoured. Újpest became Dózsa SE, and were now the team of the ministry of interior, while Budapest Honvéd, who up to that point had been known as Kispesti AC, became the team of the ministry of defense. On the other hand, Ferencváros were stripped of their green and white colours, and were forced to change their name to Édosz SE.
Budapest Honvéd won their first championship in 1950, and were a force to be reckoned with throughout the entire decade. In 1952 the team of the 19th district became the first team since MTK in 1936 to win the league undefeated. In 1953 the Népstadion was inaugurated. The first Budapest-Derbies taking place in it were Újpest-Csepel and MTK-Ferencváros in August 1953. The Stadium would be home to many Budapest Derbies over the following decades, some of them being held on the same day in the form of a "double-derby". In 1956 Honvéd completed their first three-peat, winning their fifth overall national championship. In 1957 Vasas won their first ever national title, finishing 1 point above MTK. In 1958 MTK won their 18th league-title, and became the record-champions, albeit for a few years only. In 1959 Csepel won their fourth, and to this day last national championship, finishing level on points with MTK. The 1950s was the only decade where neither part of the Ferencváros-Újpest duo won a single national championship.
In 1960 Újpest ended their 13-year league title drought, and won the league. In 1961 Vasas won another national championship, and managed to retain their title the following season. In 1963 Győri-ETO became the second team outside of Budapest after Nagyváradi AC, and the first team from the Western part of the country to become national champions under head coach Gyula Noszkay. In 1964 Ferencváros once again overtook MTK in terms of national titles, as they won their 18th championship, and their first since 1948. Ferencváros have held onto their privilege of record champions ever since. In 1965 Vasas won their fourth league-title, and also managed to retain their title the following season, doing so undefeated. In 1967 Ferencváros became the first Hungarian team to win 20 league titles. They managed to defend their championship in the subsequent season.
1969-1980: The Magical Újpest era
In 1969 Újpest won their first championship in 9 years, preventing Ferencváros from achieving a three-peat.
During the first half of the 1970s Újpest dominated Hungarian domestic football largely thanks to coach Lajos Baróti in an unparalleled way. The purple and whites won seven consecutive league-titles, closing the gap between their and FTC's trophy-cabinet.
In 1971 Újpest won their third consecutive championship, becoming the first team of the post-war era to achieve two three-peats. Their only home defeat of the campaign came against Ferencváros.
The following season the 4th districtians claimed another league trophy, becoming the first team to win four consecutive titles since MTK in the 1920s.
Újpest retained their title in 1973 and 1974 becoming the first Hungarian team to achieve back-to-back three-peats in the cold war-era. In 1974 Ferencváros' stadium at Üllői Út was inaugurated.
In 1975, the purple and whites won a record seventh consecutive championship.
In 1976 Ferencváros managed to break Újpest's hegemony in the league, as the green and whites won their first league-title since 1968.
In 1977 Vasas won their sixth national championship, tying Budapest Honvéd in league-titles, while scoring 100 goals in the season.
Újpest closed out the decade with another two subsequent national titles, becoming the first and to this day only Hungarian club to win 8 national titles within a single decade. By 1980, the two juggernauts of Budapest, Ferencváros and UTE were separated by only four titles in the all-time ranking.
1980-1990: Honvéd's second heyday & MTK's return
In 1980 Honvéd ended their quarter of a century long national title-drought, after winning the league, preventing Újpest from achieving their fourth three-peat. The red and black team would experience somewhat of a resurgence in the 1980s, as they reached heights similar to that in their heyday in the 1950s.
The 1982 and 1983 seasons were the first consecutive campaigns in the league's history in which a non-Budapest team won the league, namely Győri-ETO under masterclass coach Oszkár Szigeti.
In 1984 Honvéd overtook Vasas in the number of national titles, as they claimed their seventh league trophy, and would go on to successfully defend it in 1985. In 1986 Honvéd retained their title for a second time, and became the first team of the decade to achieve a three-peat. In 1987 MTK ended their 29-year long title-drought as the white and blues finished 2 points above Újpest, and won the league. In 1988 Honvéd won their tenth national title, and retained it in 1989, for their seventh league title of the decade.
Although not completely devoid of silverware, as Ferencváros won the league in 1981, the 1980s saw the two most popular clubs of the capital, FTC and UTE struggle in the championship. The 1984/85 campaign was especially notable for the two teams' below-expectations finishes, as both clubs achieved their worst ever league-position finishes up to that point. Ferencváros finished 12th, while Újpest finished 10th, and the following season they ended the table at the 11th spot.
1990-2004: FTC, MTK & UTE are rampant again
In 1990 Újpest ended their 11-year wait for a league trophy. The purple and whites won the league on the last day of the season, defeating Budapest Honvéd 2-0.
In 1994 Vác became the first team from Pest county beyond Budapest to win the league, under future headcoach of the national team János Csank.
Ferencváros would win three championships over the decade. The green and white were victorious in 1992, 1995 and 1996, however, their three-peat attempt was thwarted by MTK. The white and blues won the league in 1997 and 1999, both campaigns with an 80+point tally. Both seasons are amongs the top two highest ever point tallies achieved in the hungarian top-flight over a single season.
In 1998 Újpest won their twentieth, and most recent championship to this day, finishing 6 points above Ferencváros.
2004 - 2016: Budapest's dominance is halted
In the 21st century, the tight grip that the trio of FTC, MTK & UTE, and Budapest-based teams altogether had on Hungarian football was slightly loosened. 4 teams won the league for the first time in the 2000s and 2010s, and all four of them were provincial teams outside of Budapest. Big teams succumbed to relegation, some of them for the first time in their history. Such as Honvéd in 2003, Vasas also in 2003, Ferencváros in 2006 due to not getting a 1st Division license, and MTK in 2011.
Between 2004 and 2016, all but one Hungarian champions were teams outside of Budapest, and Pest county all-together for the first time in history.
In 2008 MTK won their most recent championship, breaking DVSC's hegemony in the championship, who had won the previous three editions, becoming the first non-Budapest team to complete a three-peat.
In August 2008 Újpest contested their 2723rd fixture in the top-flight, overtaking Ferencváros in the most number of 1st Division games played.
2016- : Honvéd title after 24 years and a 3-star Ferencváros
In 2016 Ferencváros won their first championship in 12 years in a now reduced 1st Division of 12 teams.
In 2017 Honvéd won their first championship title after 24 years of waiting.
In 2019 Ferencváros won their thirtieth 1st Division title, adding a third star to their crest. The green and whites have won every single championship since, winning six consecutive national titles as of 2024. In 2021 and 2022 Ferencváros confirmed their status as champions of the league against their biggest rivals, Újpest.
The city of Budapest has won 106 national championships since the top-flight's inception in 1901.
History and rival culture Ferencváros and Újpest rivalry