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Football rivalries are weird. You’ve got the massive, global ones like the North London Derby or El Clásico, but then you’ve got the local ones that feel almost personal. The kind where you see your rival's fans at the grocery store or the pub on a Tuesday. Leicester City vs Nottingham Forest is exactly that. It's an East Midlands scrap that has lived in the shadow of the Forest-Derby feud for years, but honestly? It’s arguably become the most intense fixture in the region lately.
The history here is deep. Like, 120-years-deep.
While Nottingham Forest fans will always tell you Derby County is their "true" rival, don’t let them fool you. There is no love lost when the Foxes and the Tricky Trees meet. It’s about more than just three points. It’s about who actually owns the M1 corridor. It’s about the fact that both cities are separated by just 25 miles of tarmac and a whole lot of mutual suspicion.
The Modern Chaos of Leicester City vs Nottingham Forest
If you looked at the Premier League table in May 2025, you’d see a snapshot of how high the stakes have gotten. Forest was flying high, hovering around the European spots, while Leicester was scrapping for every single point to stay in the top flight.
That 2-2 draw at the City Ground on May 11, 2025? Absolute madness.
Conor Coady put Leicester ahead early, silenced the home crowd, and for a second, it looked like the Foxes might pull off a heist. But Morgan Gibbs-White—who is basically the heartbeat of that Forest side—dragged them back into it. Chris Wood, a man who seems to score against Leicester purely out of habit, put Forest 2-1 up. Then, out of nowhere, Facundo Buonanotte popped up in the 81st minute to rescue a draw for Leicester.
That single point was massive. It wasn't just a result; it was a survival lifeline for one and a European setback for the other.
The current 2025-2026 campaign hasn't been any quieter. Forest, under Evangelos Marinakis' high-pressure ownership, continues to look up at the top six. Leicester, meanwhile, is trying to find that 2016 magic again, or at least a version of it that doesn't involve sweating over the relegation zone every week.
A Rivalry Built on Weird Records and Legend Swapping
You can’t talk about Leicester City vs Nottingham Forest without mentioning the 12-0. Yes, twelve. Back in 1909, Forest absolutely dismantled a team then known as Leicester Fosse. It remains Forest's biggest-ever league win and Leicester's heaviest defeat. It's the kind of scoreline that shouldn't exist in professional football, yet it sits there in the record books like a permanent bruise for the Leicester faithful.
But football has a way of balancing things out.
Remember 2013? The "Knockaert Day."
On the final day of the Championship season, Leicester needed a win at the City Ground to sneak into the playoffs. Anthony Knockaert scored a late winner, the away end went nuclear, and Forest fans were left wondering how it all went wrong. That’s the thing about this fixture—it produces moments that define entire seasons.
Then there’s the crossover. Peter Shilton, arguably England's greatest ever keeper, started at Leicester before becoming a European champion at Forest. Martin O'Neill is a legend at both clubs—a European Cup winner as a player for Forest and the man who led Leicester to two League Cups as a manager. It’s a small world in the East Midlands.
Key Matchup Stats (All-Time)
- Total Meetings: 111
- Nottingham Forest Wins: 42
- Leicester City Wins: 41
- Draws: 28
- Biggest Win: 12-0 (Forest, 1909)
The numbers are incredibly tight. One win separates them. That’s why every meeting feels like a tiebreaker for a century-old argument.
What Most People Get Wrong About This Derby
People assume the "East Midlands Derby" only refers to Forest and Derby County. That’s a mistake. While the Brian Clough connection makes that rivalry famous, the Leicester City vs Nottingham Forest game is often more competitive on the pitch because both teams have spent more time in the Premier League together recently.
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There's also this misconception that Leicester doesn't care as much. Ask any Leicester fan about the 4-1 FA Cup drumming Forest gave them in 2022. They still haven't forgotten the sight of Djed Spence and Brennan Johnson running riot. It stung.
The tactical battles have changed, too. Gone are the days of just "getting it into the mixer." Modern iterations of this game are tactical chess matches. You have Forest's lightning-fast transitions with Elanga and Hudson-Odoi versus Leicester’s attempt to control the tempo through players like Harry Winks or the creative spark of Buonanotte.
The Current State of Play: 2026 Standings
As we hit the midway point of the 2025-2026 season, the landscape is shifting again. Forest is currently sitting in the mid-table pack with 21 points after 21 games. They’ve been inconsistent—brilliant one week against a "Big Six" side, then sluggish the next.
Leicester is in a much tougher spot. They are currently 18th, sitting in the relegation zone with just 14 points. For them, every game is a cup final now. The pressure on the manager is immense. Fans are restless. When the next derby rolls around, it won't just be about bragging rights; it'll be a fight for Premier League life.
Notable Players to Watch
- Morgan Gibbs-White (Forest): The man makes them tick. If he’s on, Forest wins.
- Chris Wood (Forest): He’s 34 now, but his positioning is still elite. He loves a goal against the Foxes.
- Facundo Buonanotte (Leicester): The bright spot in a tough season. His ability to create something from nothing is Leicester's best hope.
- Jamie Vardy (Leicester): He's the veteran, the pantomime villain. Even in the twilight of his career, you can’t bet against him scoring at the City Ground and cupping his ears to the home fans.
Why This Game Matters for the Future
Football is changing. Money is pouring in, and the "traditional" big clubs are trying to pull away. But clubs like Leicester and Forest represent the soul of the English game. They are former champions (Leicester in 2016, Forest in '78, '79, and '80) who refuse to be forgotten.
When they play, it’s a reminder that history matters.
The atmosphere is always hostile, the noise is deafening, and the tackles are usually a bit harder than usual. It’s exactly what football should be.
How to Follow the Rivalry Moving Forward
If you're looking to catch the next chapter of Leicester City vs Nottingham Forest, keep a close eye on the secondary ticket markets and official club sites about six weeks before the fixture. These games almost always sell out.
- Check the FA Cup draws: These two have a knack for finding each other in the cup.
- Monitor injury reports: In a game this physical, missing a key defender like Murillo (Forest) or Wout Faes (Leicester) can be the difference between a clean sheet and a blowout.
- Look at the "Six-Pointer" implications: If Leicester stays in the bottom three, their next game against Forest will be the most high-stakes meeting in a decade.
The best way to experience it? Get to the stadium. Whether it’s the King Power or the City Ground, there is a specific kind of electricity in the air that you just don't get through a TV screen. It’s the sound of two cities that really, really want to be better than each other.
To stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on the Premier League's revised schedule for the latter half of the 2026 season. With both teams navigating heavy winter schedules—and Forest balancing potential European commitments—squad depth will be the deciding factor in who takes the bragging rights this year. Check the official club apps for the most accurate ticket release dates, as "high-profile" status usually limits sales to members with significant loyalty points.