If you walk past the Emirates Stadium on a match day, you’ll see the bronze statues of Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp. They look like gods frozen in time. For some fans, those statues are a painful reminder of a golden era that feels like it happened in a different century. Honestly, it kind of did.
The short answer is that Arsenal last won the Premiership in the 2003/04 season.
That was the year of the "Invincibles." Since then? It’s been a long road of near-misses, "Wenger Out" banners, and a massive rebuilding project under Mikel Arteta. As of early 2026, the Gunners are currently sitting at the top of the table with a six-point lead, but the ghost of 2004 still looms large over North London.
The 2003/04 Season: When Arsenal Ruled England
It’s hard to overstate how dominant that team was. They didn't just win; they refused to lose. Over 38 games, they racked up 26 wins and 12 draws. No losses. Zero.
You’ve probably heard people argue that they drew too many games, but 90 points was a massive total for that era. They clinched the title at White Hart Lane—the home of their fiercest rivals, Tottenham Hotspur—after a 2-2 draw. There’s a famous photo of the players celebrating on the pitch while the Spurs fans looked on in misery. That’s the stuff of legends.
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The squad was basically a "Who's Who" of footballing royalty:
- Thierry Henry: He scored 30 league goals that year. He was untouchable.
- Patrick Vieira: The engine room. He bullied midfields for fun.
- Sol Campbell: A literal mountain at the back.
- Jens Lehmann: The "mad" German keeper who played every single minute of the campaign.
They were awarded a special Gold Premier League trophy to mark the achievement. No one has seen a gold one since.
Why the Premiership Drought Has Lasted So Long
So, what happened? How does a team go from being "Invincible" to not winning a league title for over two decades?
It wasn't just one thing. It was a perfect storm. First, there was the move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium in 2006. That stadium cost roughly £390 million, which meant Arsène Wenger had to operate on a shoestring budget for years. While Chelsea and Manchester United were spending big, Arsenal were selling their best players—Cesc Fàbregas, Robin van Persie, Samir Nasri—just to keep the lights on.
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Then you had the "Super Club" era. Roman Abramovich at Chelsea and later the Abu Dhabi takeover at Manchester City changed the math of the league.
The Near Misses
It’s not like they haven’t been close. They’ve finished as runners-up several times since 2004, and some of those hurt way more than others.
- 2007/08: A young team led by Fàbregas was five points clear in February. Then Eduardo broke his leg against Birmingham City, the team collapsed emotionally, and they finished third.
- 2015/16: The year Leicester City shocked the world. Arsenal were the only team to beat Leicester home and away, but they dropped points to "smaller" teams and finished second.
- 2022/23: This was the "248 days" season. Arsenal led the league for 248 days—the most for any team in history that didn't win the title. They just couldn't hold off the Man City machine.
- 2023/24: They took it to the final day. 89 points. Usually, that wins you the league. Not against Pep Guardiola.
What Most People Get Wrong About Arsenal's Last Win
A common misconception is that the 2004 team was just "lucky" or that the league was weak. Look at the competition. They were up against a Manchester United side with a young Cristiano Ronaldo and Ruud van Nistelrooy. They were facing a Chelsea team that had just been injected with millions of pounds.
Another weird myth is that they "played for draws" at the end. While they did draw some games late in the season to secure the unbeaten record, they were still the highest scorers in the league with 73 goals. They weren't "parking the bus." They were outclassing people with "Wengerball."
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The State of Play in 2026
Right now, the vibe is different. Under Mikel Arteta, the "new" Arsenal looks like the real deal. They just dismantled Portsmouth 4-1 in the FA Cup, with Gabriel Martinelli bagging a hat-trick. More importantly, they’ve held a steady lead in the Premier League for most of the 2025/26 season.
They aren't just relying on individual magic anymore. It's a system. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães have formed arguably the best center-back partnership since the Campbell/Touré days. Martin Ødegaard is the creative heartbeat that Fàbregas used to be.
But fans are cautious. We’ve seen this movie before. In 2023, the wheels fell off in April. In 2024, one loss to Aston Villa ruined the dream.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Analysts
If you’re tracking the title race this year, keep an eye on these three things:
- The "April" Fatigue: Historically, this is where Arsenal squads have thinned out. Watch the rotation of players like Bukayo Saka.
- Head-to-Head with City: The matches against Manchester City are basically six-pointers. If Arsenal don't lose those, the 22-year wait might finally end.
- Defensive Stability: In 2004, they conceded only 26 goals. To win the Premiership today, you usually need to keep that number under 30.
The drought has been long—too long for a club of this size. But the 2003/04 season remains a benchmark of perfection that might never be repeated. Whether the current crop can finally add a 2026 trophy next to that gold one in the cabinet is the only question that matters in North London right now.
To get the most out of following the current title race, you should track the "Expected Goals Against" (xGA) stats for the remaining big-six fixtures, as defensive solidity has been the deciding factor in every Arsenal title charge since the 90s.