There’s something quietly strange about the Brighton vs Crystal Palace rivalry. Two clubs in different cities, barely a shared trophy cabinet between them, and yet their fans hate each other with a conviction most European derbies would envy.

4 related posts

Head-to-Head Wins: Crystal Palace 52, Brighton 51, Draws 42 ·
Recent Result: Brighton 0–1 Crystal Palace (Feb 2026) ·
Brighton League Position: 9th ·
Crystal Palace League Position: 13th ·
Matches Since 2005: 26 (Brighton won 7)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Whether Brighton vs Palace lands on UK free-to-air TV this season
  • Specific TV channel for future fixtures beyond confirmed Sky Sports selections
  • Which cup competitions Palace will target in 2025–26 beyond the league
3Timeline signal
  • 1906: First meeting, Brighton 2–1 Goldstone Ground (NamuWiki)
  • 1976: Controversial FA Cup replay sparks the derby (NamuWiki)
  • Feb 2026: Palace 1–0 win ends 12-game winless run (Sports Mole)
4What’s next
  • Brighton’s 2025–26 survival push continues with a squad rebuilding around Fabian Hurzeler
  • Palace look to build on the February 2026 derby win as the season unfolds
  • Both clubs face decisions on key players as the summer transfer window approaches
Field Value
Rivalry Name Brighton & Hove Albion–Crystal Palace rivalry
Distance Between Clubs 45 miles
Brighton Wins (Total) 50–51
Palace Wins (Total) 52–54
Draws 41–42
Recent Head-to-Head Brighton 0–1 Palace (Feb 2026)

Why do Crystal Palace and Brighton have a rivalry?

Historical origins

The first match between Brighton and Crystal Palace took place on December 22, 1906, with Brighton winning 2–1 at the Goldstone Ground. For most of the 20th century, however, the two clubs operated in different football worlds. The rivalry as fans recognise it today dates to 1976, when a controversial FA Cup replay at Stamford Bridge became the defining flashpoint. Brighton manager Alan Mullery confronted the referee after Palace’s 1–0 win, signed to celebrating Palace fans, and threw coins at opposition players and staff — a moment that crystallised the hostility and is widely cited as the official start of the M23 derby. After the 1976 replay, the two clubs did not meet in league competition for 13 years. When they eventually crossed paths again in 2002, Palace won 5–0 and proceeded to dominate the fixture for 17 years.

Brighton & Hove Albion–Crystal Palace rivalry, Wikipedia article on the rivalry — notes the rivalry is sometimes also called the A23 derby by media outlets

In the 1976 FA Cup third-round tie, Brighton’s Peter Ward scored an equaliser that was later ruled out for handball. The controversy around that decision fed directly into the fury that followed. The first FA Cup meeting between the clubs ended 2–2 at the Goldstone, with the replay at Selhurst ending 1–1 before Palace edged the decisive fixture.

The paradox

Despite 145 meetings across more than a century, Brighton and Palace have rarely competed for meaningful honours at the same time. The rivalry exists in spite of that, not because of it — which is what makes the M23 derby one of English football’s most unusual fixtures.

Geographic factors

The M23 motorway runs between Crawley and Croydon — it does not actually connect Brighton or Croydon. The A23 road is the real geographic spine linking the two cities, which is why some outlets refer to the fixture as the A23 derby. Even so, “M23 derby” has stuck as the dominant term, and the geographic oddity of a rivalry named after a motorway that bypasses both clubs is part of its character. The 45-mile distance between the two grounds is modest by English football standards, yet the clubs have spent much of their histories in separate divisions — a fact that, paradoxically, made the rivalry more intense whenever they did meet.

The mid-1970s hostility grew precisely because both clubs were battling for promotion out of the third tier, with crowds for third-division matches regularly exceeding 20,000. That kind of pressure, concentrated in small venues and with everything on the line, produced crowd trouble and a notoriety that neither set of fans has forgotten.

Who is Brighton’s biggest rival?

Rivalry rankings

Among Brighton supporters, Crystal Palace consistently ranks as the primary rivalry — above meetings with Portsmouth, whom Brighton have faced far more frequently, and above any other south-coast neighbours. The M23 fixture generates the most heat per meeting of any Brighton matchday, and that intensity is reflected in the atmosphere at both the Amex and Selhurst Park.

Fan perspectives

For Palace fans, Brighton occupies the top spot in a similar way. Surveys and fan-forum sentiment consistently place Brighton above other London rivalries for Crystal Palace supporters. The geographic proximity combined with the specific history — the 1976 controversy, the 5–0 wins, the string of 1–1 draws — gives both sets of fans plenty to argue about.

Brighton have been in the Premier League since their 2017 promotion and have played 18 Premier League matches against Palace since then, winning just four of them. Palace have won six across the same period, making the Premier League record a clear Palace advantage despite Brighton generally being regarded as the better overall club in recent seasons. The implication: form in the league does not translate directly to this particular fixture.

Brighton vs Crystal Palace head-to-head stats and results

Overall record

Five data sources give slightly different figures for the all-time head-to-head, but the broad picture is consistent. Football Ground Guide records 145 total meetings, with Brighton on 51 wins and Palace on 52 wins, alongside 42 draws. Sports Mole reports Brighton 50 wins, Palace 54 wins, and 41 draws across a similar sample. The verified facts give ranges of Brighton 50–51 and Palace 52–54 wins, with draws at 41–42 — a discrepancy worth knowing if you encounter conflicting numbers in other articles.

Metric Brighton & Hove Albion Crystal Palace
Founded 1901 1905
Current League Position (2025–26) 9th 13th
All-Time Head-to-Head Wins 50–51 52–54
Premier League Head-to-Head (since 2017–18) 4 wins in 18 matches 6 wins in 18 matches
Major Trophies 0 0
Seasons in Top Flight 7 11

The trophy record reflects how both clubs have spent much of their histories outside the top tier, with neither having secured major silverware that would elevate the rivalry to a title-contesting context.

Last 5 games

Two results stand out from the most recent meetings: Brighton won 4–1 at the Amex on February 3, 2024, and Palace won 3–1 at the same stadium on December 15, 2024. The remaining recent fixtures in the 26-game sample since 2005 include a Palace 2–1 win at Selhurst Park in April 2025 and Ismaila Sarr’s winning goal in Palace’s 1–0 victory over Brighton at the Amex in February 2026.

Five straight encounters at Selhurst Park ended 1–1 between 2019 and 2023, one of the stranger streaks in recent Premier League history. Palace finally broke that pattern with a 2–1 win in April 2025. The most dramatic moment in that run was Neal Maupay’s 95th-minute equaliser for Brighton in September 2021 — a goal that remains one of the most talked-about denials among Palace fans.

Why this matters

Brighton have won four of 18 Premier League meetings with Palace since 2017–18, against Palace’s six wins in the same period. That Palace edge exists despite Brighton generally finishing above Palace in the league table in most seasons. For neutrals, the derby does not follow league form — it follows its own logic.

Notable matches

Brighton’s largest-ever victory over Palace came at the Goldstone Ground on January 14, 1956, when Brighton won 5–0. Palace’s most memorable win in the fixture is the 1976 FA Cup replay, which sparked the rivalry’s modern history. Palace’s 5–0 win in 2002 marked the start of 17 years of fixture dominance. The 2025–26 season saw Palace win twice in the same campaign — a 2–1 win at Selhurst Park in April 2025 and a 1–0 win at the Amex in February 2026 — ending a 12-game winless run against Brighton across all competitions.

Is Crystal Palace vs Brighton on live TV?

TV channels

As both clubs are Premier League sides, their head-to-head fixtures appear regularly on Sky Sports — the primary UK broadcaster for Premier League matches. A selection of recent M23 derbies have been shown live on Sky Sports, including the February 2026 Palace win at the Amex. Kick-off times vary, and the most recent fixture saw the match scheduled for 12:30pm on a Saturday.

Live stream options

Sky Go provides streaming for Sky Sports subscribers. Now Sports subscribers can also access matches through the platform’s streaming services. As of the 2025–26 season, M23 derbies have not appeared on Amazon Prime Video’s Premier League selection, but that could change in future broadcast cycles. Fans wanting the most up-to-date broadcast schedule for upcoming Brighton vs Palace fixtures should check the Premier League’s official fixture list, which confirms selections around 38 days before each matchdate.

Recent updates: Solly March and club news

Player returns

Solly March returned to action after nearly 11 months out following a knee injury sustained in March 2024. His return adds genuine quality to Brighton’s wide areas and gives head coach Fabian Hurzeler another option in an area where the club has lacked depth. March’s recovery was a slow process, and his comeback game came before the February 2026 derby, meaning he was available for Palace’s 1–0 win at the Amex.

Club initiatives

Crystal Palace have taken visible steps on LGBTQ+ inclusion in recent seasons, with Pride-themed fixtures at Selhurst Park and fan-group outreach that has earned recognition from advocacy organisations. The club’s No To Discrimination charter and active work with LGBTQ+ supporter groups represents a notable shift from earlier decades.

Bottom line: Crystal Palace hold the slimmest of edges in the M23 derby — one win separates them from Brighton across more than 145 meetings, and Palace have won more Premier League clashes since 2017–18. For Brighton fans, the rivalry stings because their club has generally been the stronger side in the league but cannot translate that into derby dominance. For Palace fans, the derby is a rare reliable source of joy against a side that consistently outperforms them in the table. Both sets of supporters will tell you the same thing: form goes out the window on the day of the M23.

Confirmed facts

  • Head-to-head record from Football Ground Guide (51 Brighton wins, 52 Palace wins, 42 draws)
  • Palace 1–0 Brighton (Feb 2026, Ismaila Sarr goal) — Sports Mole
  • Rivalry born from 1970s third-tier promotion battles — Sports Mole
  • First meeting December 22, 1906 — NamuWiki
  • 26 matches since 2005, Brighton won 7
  • Solly March returned after 11 months
  • Palace ended 12-game winless run in February 2026

What’s unclear

  • Whether specific upcoming M23 fixtures are scheduled for free-to-air UK broadcast
  • Brighton’s exact cup competition targets for 2025–26 beyond the league
  • Specific timeline for any further Palace Pride fixture dates in the 2025–26 calendar

What they said

Brighton need to stay compact and disciplined. Palace will make it physical — that’s what they do in this fixture, and we have to be ready for that intensity from the first minute.

— Fabian Hurzeler, Brighton head coach, post-match press conference

The debt figures across the Premier League have reached a point where clubs like Brighton and Palace — with mid-table ambitions — are having to make structural choices between squad depth and financial sustainability. The margins are getting thinner every season.

— Swiss Ramble, football finance analyst

Related reading

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Additional sources

youtube.com, m.aiscore.com, ukbettingsites.com, rivals.football, 11v11.com, flashscore.com

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Frequently asked questions

What do Palace fans call Brighton?

Palace fans typically refer to Brighton as “the Seagulls” — the nickname for Brighton & Hove Albion derived from their coastal location. Within the context of the M23 rivalry, the term is often deployed with deliberate irony or contempt, depending on the recent result between the clubs.

Is the Carabao Cup final on ITV or BBC?

The Carabao Cup final is traditionally broadcast on both ITV and Sky Sports — ITV for the free-to-air reach and Sky Sports for the full matchday production. The specific channels rotate by season, and the Premier League’s official broadcast list is the most reliable place to check for each season’s schedule. Crystal Palace have not reached a Carabao Cup final in recent history, so the question is most relevant to readers following the competition’s broader schedule.

What is the Brighton vs Crystal Palace rivalry name?

The fixture is most commonly called the M23 derby, named after the M23 motorway that runs between Crawley and Croydon. Some media outlets prefer the term “A23 derby,” as the A23 road is the actual geographic route connecting Brighton and Croydon. Both names refer to the same rivalry.

What are the Brighton vs Crystal Palace stats?

Across all competitions, Brighton have around 50–51 wins and Palace have 52–54 wins in approximately 145 total meetings. In the Premier League since 2017–18, Palace lead with 6 wins to Brighton’s 4 across 18 encounters. The most recent result was Palace 1–0 Brighton at the Amex in February 2026.

Where to find Brighton vs Crystal Palace highlights?

Match highlights for Premier League fixtures are typically available on Sky Sports’ YouTube channel and website within hours of the final whistle. The official Premier League website also carries match clips. For full match replays, subscribers to Sky Go or Now Sports can access extended coverage.

What is the prediction for Brighton vs Crystal Palace?

Form in this derby does not track league form reliably. Brighton have finished above Palace in most recent Premier League seasons yet won only four of 18 meetings since 2017–18. The most recent meeting — Palace’s 1–0 win at the Amex in February 2026 — suggests Palace carry a psychological edge in the fixture regardless of where each club sits in the table.

Does Crystal Palace support LGBTQ?

Crystal Palace have taken visible steps on LGBTQ+ inclusion in recent seasons, including Pride fixtures at Selhurst Park and formal partnerships with LGBTQ+ supporter groups. The club’s No To Discrimination charter represents a documented commitment that fans and observers can verify through the club’s official communications.