Less than 24 hours after suffering one of the most painful defeats in the club’s history, Arsenal turned North London into a sea of red and white as hundreds of thousands of supporters flooded the streets to celebrate a Premier League title 22 years in the making.
The Gunners had hours earlier, lost the 2025/26UEFA Champions League final to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties in Budapest.
However, while Arsenal fans partied like champions, not everyone agreed with the timing because, by all accounts, Sunday should have been a day of mourning for Arsenal.
For some rivals, it looked like a celebration trying to bury the pain of another European failure.
For Arsenal supporters, however, it was a powerful statement that after years of near misses, heartbreaks and ridicule, the club was finally back where it believes it belongs.
And if the message from Mikel Arteta’s squad was anything to go by, Arsenal are not planning to stop at one trophy.
North London Turns Red As Arsenal End 22-Year Wait
For the first time since Arsène Wenger’s legendary Invincibles lifted the Premier League crown in 2004, Arsenal are champions of England again.
The Gunners finished seven points clear of Manchester City to claim their 14th English league title and finally end a drought that had stretched across more than two decades.
To mark the achievement, Arsenal staged a spectacular open-top bus parade through North London on Sunday.
The celebrations lasted two-and-a-half hours and covered a five-mile route beginning and ending at the Emirates Stadium.
Fans packed every available space along the route, with some supporters arriving in the early hours of the morning just to secure a viewing spot.
Four buses rolled through the streets.
The men’s first-team squad occupied the lead bus, while Arsenal’s women’s team, who were crowned world champions after winning the Women’s Champions Cup in February, travelled on the third bus.
The remaining buses carried club staff and family members.
One of the emotional highlights came as the convoy crossed a bridge emblazoned with the message:
“This belongs to all of us.”
This symbolized a triumph shared by everyone connected to the club after years of frustration.
The Giant Tifo That Sent Spurs A Message Again
Arsenal supporters made sure their rivals would not escape the celebrations.
One of the standout visuals from the parade was the reappearance of the enormous tifo first unveiled before November’s North London Derby against Tottenham Hotspur.
The giant banner boldly declared:
“The Arsenal – These Streets Are Our Own.”
As it stretched across the route once again, thousands of supporters sang and cheered while the players soaked in the atmosphere.
It was another reminder of how Arsenal have reclaimed dominance in North London both on and off the pitch.
Champions League Agony Could Not Stop The Party
The celebrations came under extraordinary circumstances.
Just one day earlier, Arsenal had been within touching distance of history.
The Gunners pushed PSG all the way in the Champions League final before suffering a heartbreaking 4-3 penalty shootout defeat after a 1-1 draw following extra time.
Kai Havertz had given Arsenal an early lead, but Ousmane Dembélé‘s second-half penalty levelled the contest.
When the game went to penalties, Eberechi Eze missed first.
David Raya briefly reignited hope by saving from Nuno Mendes.
Arsenal defender, Gabriel Magalhães then blasted the decisive penalty over the crossbar, handing PSG their second consecutive European title.
The defeat crushed Arsenal’s dream of winning their first-ever Champions League trophy.
Yet remarkably, less than a day later, supporters turned out in huge numbers to celebrate the Premier League triumph.
Gabriel Breaks Silence After Costly Miss
Before the parade began, Gabriel addressed supporters on social media following his heartbreaking penalty miss.
The Brazilian wrote:
“It’s painful, but I’m proud of this team and everything we achieved together this season.”
“Thank you to our incredible fans for your support every step of the way. You deserve to celebrate this journey with us and enjoy the parade today.”
His message was met with widespread support from fans, many of whom chanted his name during the celebrations.
Declan Rice Fires Back At Critics
One of the loudest moments of the parade came when Declan Rice grabbed a microphone and took aim at critics who have repeatedly mocked Arsenal’s reliance on set pieces.
The England midfielder led supporters in a defiant chant as he enthusiastically beltted out the lyrics alongside thousands of supporters.
“Set-piece again, ole, ole.”
The remark drew cheers from fans who have watched Arsenal become one of the most dangerous dead-ball teams in Europe.
Speaking later to Sky Sports, Rice revealed the emotional significance of the occasion.
“I love this team, I love the manager.”
“To see the joy we can give people, it’s crazy. But next year we’re coming back for more.”
That final sentence immediately caught attention.
After winning the Premier League but falling short in Europe, Rice’s warning sounded less like a celebration and more like a promise.
“This Is Crazy” – Odegaard Leads The Party
Captain Martin Odegaard was one of the central figures throughout the parade.
The Norwegian became the first Arsenal captain since Patrick Vieira in 2004 to lift the Premier League trophy.
As red smoke from flares filled the streets, Odegaard waved scarves, sang with supporters and repeatedly encouraged the crowd to raise the noise levels.
At one point he simply looked around at the enormous turnout and declared:
“This is crazy.”
The loudest roar of the day came when Odegaard proudly displayed the Premier League trophy from the front of the bus.
This was the image the Gunners’ supporters had waited more than two decades to see.
Lewis-Skelly Issues Warning To Arsenal’s Rivals
If Arsenal’s celebrations were meant to signal the end of a journey, academy graduate Myles Lewis-Skelly made it clear the players see things differently.
The 19-year-old star admitted the Champions League defeat still hurts.
“It’s disappointing because, you know, when you’re so close to a dream, a goal, and you feel slightly short, but, just as Mikel said, adds fuel to the fire, so we’ll use that for us.”
Rather than dwelling on the loss, Lewis-Skelly believes Arsenal are only just beginning.
“I feel like it’s a start of a new era and we’re ready to go out and achieve our dreams.”
“This means everything just to share this moment with our people. It’s going to be emotional. The last couple of weeks have been incredible.”
Then came the statement that may send chills through Arsenal’s rivals.
“Thank you and we’re not done.”
Celebration Or Statement Of Intent?
For rival fans, Arsenal’s decision to hold such lavish celebrations immediately after another European disappointment may appear strange.
For Arsenal supporters, however, Sunday represented something much bigger.
It was the end of a 22-year wait.
A reward for years of rebuilding.
A declaration that Arsenal have returned to the summit of English football and perhaps most significantly, amid the music, the smoke, the songs and the trophies, one message echoed louder than any other.
Declan Rice said Arsenal are “coming back for more.“
Myles Lewis-Skelly said “we’re not done.“
If Sunday’s parade was meant to be a victory lap, Arsenal’s players turned it into something else entirely, a warning that after finally ending their Premier League drought, they believe a new era has only just begun.
