Arsenal face Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, but many fans may wonder why the Portuguese side is not referred to as Sporting Lisbon. The official name of the club is Sporting Clube de Portugal, commonly abbreviated as Sporting CP. The 'Lisbon' suffix is a misnomer often used by English-speaking media, but the club itself does not use it in its official title.
The confusion arises because the club is based in Lisbon, Portugal's capital. However, Sporting CP was founded in 1906 as a multi-sport club and has always been known simply as Sporting. The 'CP' stands for 'Clube de Portugal', reflecting its national identity rather than just the city.
In contrast, their city rivals Benfica are officially called Sport Lisboa e Benfica, which includes 'Lisboa' (Lisbon) in their name. This distinction has led to the persistent but incorrect use of 'Sporting Lisbon' in some international contexts, despite the club's preference for Sporting CP.
For Arsenal fans, this quarter-final clash offers a chance to see a historic club with a rich tradition. The match is part of Arsenal's journey to the final, where they will face Paris Saint-Germain on May 30. Fans can watch the game via HBO Max Basic With Ads on Prime Video without a TNT Sports subscription.
