Longest unbeaten league run in football: Johor Darul Ta’zim’s world record, and AC Milan’s European mark

The longest unbeaten league run in world football belongs to Johor Darul Ta’zim of Malaysia, who passed 109 matches in August 2026 and are still going. In Europe’s big five leagues the mark is AC Milan’s 58, set between 1991 and 1993.

The two get mixed up constantly, because most lists of this record quietly cover only England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France. This page keeps them apart.

Under legendary manager Fabio Capello, AC Milan scripted history as they went a staggering 58 matches without a defeat in Serie A between 1991 and 1993.

The world record: Johor Darul Ta’zim, 109 and counting

Milan’s 58 is a long way short of the global mark. Johor Darul Ta’zim, champions of Malaysia twelve seasons running, have not lost a domestic league match since 2021. On 22 August 2026 they beat Kuching City 3-0 in their opening fixture of the new Malaysia Super League season to reach 109 games unbeaten, passing the 108 that ASEC Mimosas of Ivory Coast had held since 1994. The run is still alive, so treat the number as a floor rather than a final total.

The European record is Steaua Bucharest’s 104, from August 1986 to September 1989 — also comfortably clear of anything the big five leagues have produced.

Figures current to 26 August 2026.

The international record moved in 2026. Italy went 37 matches unbeaten between 2018 and 2021, breaking a 35-game mark shared by Brazil (1993-1996) and Spain (2007-2009), and that stood for five years. Spain have now taken it, reaching 38 when they won the 2026 World Cup final against Argentina. Their run began after a friendly defeat by Colombia in early 2024 and carried them through Euro 2024 and the whole World Cup. We track it on our longest unbeaten runs in international football page.

Meanwhile, Bundesliga heavyweight Bayern Munich are second among the big five, on the longest unbeaten league run.

Between 2012 and 2014, the German outfit went an incredible 53 matches without succumbing to a defeat in Bundesliga.

Arsenal are third among the big five. The Gunners’ 49 games without a defeat is still the longest unbeaten run in Premier League history. Here is the full list.

Longest unbeaten league runs in Europe’s big five leagues

AC Milan | 58 matches | 1991-93

It took little time for Fabio Capello to turn AC Milan into title contenders when he first arrived at San Siro in June 1991. Milan won the Serie A undefeated in 1991-92. Under his tutelage, the Rossoneri later extended their dominance as they went on a 58-game unbeaten streak between May 19, 1991 and March 21, 1993. Their record came to an end with a 0-1 defeat to Parma courtesy a goal from Faustino Asprilla.

Bayern Munich | 53 matches | 2012-2014

Bayern Munich have been the most dominant team in the Bundesliga since the inception of the German’s top-tier league in 1963. Between 2012 and 2014, the Bavarians’ record of 53 games without a defeat is the longest unbeaten run in Bundesliga. Led by manager Jupp Heynckes, Bayern won the treble in 2012-13, including clinching the Bundesliga with 91 points, only eleven points short of a perfect season. Pep Guardiola took over in 2013 and the run carried on under him, reaching 53 before it ended with a 1-0 defeat at Augsburg in April 2014. It was an unbeaten run, not a winning run — the two get swapped constantly, and 53 straight wins would be a different order of achievement altogether.

Arsenal | 49 matches | 2003-04

Arsenal etched their name into history books as they became the first team to remain undefeated in an entire Premier League during the 2003-04 season. Led by their talismanic manager Arsene Wenger, the Gunners registered 26 wins and 12 draws to clinch the Premier League title that season. Having set an English record for the longest top-flight unbeaten league run at 49 games, Arsenal received the nickname The Invincibles. Their unbeaten run came to an end after Manchester United beat them 2-0 on October 24, 2004.

Why Bayer Leverkusen are not on the list

Leverkusen’s 2023-24 season is the most talked-about unbeaten run of recent years and looks like a natural fit here, but the figure usually attached to it does not belong in a league table. Xabi Alonso’s side went 51 matches unbeaten across all competitions, from a 3-0 defeat at Bochum in May 2023 until Atalanta beat them 3-0 in the Europa League final on 22 May 2024, Ademola Lookman scoring a hat-trick. That 51 is a cross-competition run.

Their Bundesliga run — the one this table measures — reached 35, and ended on 31 August 2024 when RB Leipzig came from behind to win 3-2, Loïs Openda scoring twice. Thirty-five is short of the nine above, which is why they are not among them.

What they did achieve stands on its own: 28 wins, six draws and no defeats in 34 games made them the first side to go a full Bundesliga season unbeaten.

For the English half of the story, our Premier League winners list has every champion since 1992, and our profile of Spain’s 2026 World Cup squad covers the side that now holds the international record.

Photo credit: Alamy