Drought (sport)

North America

Droughts by sport

• In MLB, the Chicago Cubs suffered a 108-year World Series drought from 1908 until 2016, when they defeated the Cleveland Indians. In turn, the Indians inherited the longest active drought, last winning the World Series in 1948. The Texas Rangers are the oldest franchise that is yet to win a single World Series title having lost in 2010 and 2011.
• In the NHL, the New York Rangers suffered a 54-year Stanley Cup drought from 1940 until 1994, when they defeated the Vancouver Canucks. The longest current title drought is held by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have not won the Stanley Cup since 1967.
• In the NFL, four teams have never appeared in a Super Bowl, and eight other teams have never won that game. The longest active title drought is that of the Arizona Cardinals franchise, which last won an NFL championship in the 1947 season. The Cardinals have played home games in four cities in three market areas since the team last won a title: Chicago, St. Louis, and the Phoenix suburbs of Tempe and Glendale.
• 11 NBA teams have never won a championship. The league's longest drought belongs to the Sacramento Kings, who have not won an NBA championship or even been to the NBA Finals since 1951, when they were known as the Rochester Royals. Sacramento is the fifth city to host the team since it last won a title.
• In the CFL, the longest current Grey Cup drought is held by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats at 20 years. The Tiger-Cats last won the Grey Cup in 1999, defeating the Calgary Stampeders 32–21. Historically, the CFL's longest continuous drought is 45 years.
• In Major League Soccer, the longest current MLS Cup drought is 23 years, held by three teams, FC Dallas, the New England Revolution, and the New York Red Bulls, as each team has failed to win the league title despite having competed in every MLS season dating back to 1996. All have made MLS Cup Final appearances. FC Cincinnati, Los Angeles FC, Minnesota United FC, the Montreal Impact, Nashville SC, New York City FC, Orlando City SC, the Philadelphia Union, the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, and Inter Miami CF have also never won an MLS Cup title, but were added as expansion teams after 1996. Defunct teams CD Chivas USA, Miami Fusion FC and the Tampa Bay Mutiny never won the MLS Cup before they were shut down.
• With regard to other major domestic trophies, the longest active Supporters Shield drought is shared by two teams, the Colorado Rapids and the New England Revolution. Neither has won a Supporters Shield despite competing in every MLS season since 1996. Among MLS teams, the longest U.S. Open Cup drought is 20 years, shared by three teams, the Colorado Rapids, New York Red Bulls, and San Jose Earthquakes. Eight other current United States-based teams have not won the Open Cup, but were added as expansion teams after 1996. The three Canada-based MLS teams, the Montreal Impact, Toronto FC, and Vancouver Whitecaps FC are ineligible as they compete in the Voyageurs Cup.

  Cities with significant droughts

• 93 years - Ottawa Since 1927 Stanley Cup during the original inception of the organisation
• 57 years – San Diego since 1963 AFL title, no World Series title, no NBA title or finals appearances
• 55 years – Buffalo since 1965 AFL title, no Stanley Cup title since joining the NHL in 1970, no NBA title or finals appearances
• 50 years – Vancouver no Stanley Cup title since joining the NHL in 1970, no NBA title or finals appearances
• 49 years – Milwaukee since 1971 NBA title
• 43 years – Portland, Oregon since 1977 NBA title
• 41 years – Winnipeg no Stanley Cup title since joining the NHL in 1979, neither the former nor the current Jets franchise have made the Stanley Cup Finals
• 41 years – Salt Lake City has not won a major championship since the Jazz relocated from New Orleans in 1979, lost 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals
• 35 years – Sacramento waiting for first since the Kings relocated from Kansas City in 1985, no NBA Finals appearances
• 31 years – Calgary since 1989 Stanley Cup, lost 2004 Stanley Cup Finals
• 31 years – Orlando waiting for first since joining the NBA in 1989
• 30 years – Edmonton since 1990 Stanley Cup, lost 2006 Stanley Cup Finals
• 30 years – Cincinnati since 1990 World Series title, neither the Reds nor the Bengals have returned to the World Series or the Super Bowl respectively.
• 29 years – San Jose no Stanley Cup title since joining the NHL in 1991
• 29 years – Minneapolis–St. Paul since 1991 World Series title. This is the longest current championship drought for any metro area with a team in each of the “Big Four” leagues. The Twins, Vikings, Timberwolves, and Wild have yet to make a championship appearance since 1991
• 27 years – Montreal since 1993 Stanley Cup, the Canadiens have not returned to the Stanley Cup Finals since then, no World Series appearances
• 25 years – Jacksonville waiting for first since joining the NFL in 1995
• 25 years – Atlanta since 1995 World Series title, lost 1996 and 1999 World Series, and Super Bowl XXXIII in 1999 and Super Bowl LI in 2017
• 23 years – Nashville has not won a major championship since the Titans relocated from Houston in 1997, lost Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000 and 2017 Stanley Cup Finals
• 20 years – Columbus has not won a major championship since the Blue Jackets joined the NHL in 2000 and have yet to make a Stanley Cup Finals appearance
• 19 years – Memphis has not won a major championship since the Grizzlies relocated from Vancouver in 2001 and has yet to make an NBA Finals appearance
• 19 years – Phoenix since 2001 World Series title, lost Super Bowl XLIII in 2009, no NBA Finals appearances since 1993, no Stanley Cup Finals appearances since the Coyotes relocated from Winnipeg in 1996
• 16 years – Tampa Bay since 2004 Stanley Cup, lost 2008 World Series and 2015 Stanley Cup Finals
• 14 years – Raleigh since 2006 Stanley Cup, the Hurricanes have not returned to the Stanley Cup Finals since then
• 13 years – Indianapolis since Super Bowl XLI in 2007, lost Super Bowl XLIV in 2010; the Pacers have never won an NBA title since joining the NBA in 1976, and made a solitary NBA Finals appearance in 2000
• 13 years – Anaheim since 2007 Stanley Cup
• 12 years – Detroit since 2008 Stanley Cup, lost 2009 Stanley Cup Finals and 2012 World Series, no Super Bowl appearances, no NBA title since 2004
• 12 years – Oklahoma City no NBA title since the Thunder relocated from Seattle in 2008, lost 2012 NBA Finals
• 10 years – New Orleans since 2010 Super Bowl
• All year counts are current as of 2020.

• Prior to the Cavaliers winning the 2016 NBA Finals, Cleveland had gone 52 years without a championship in any major professional sport. The drought began after the Browns won the 1964 NFL Championship. The Indians lost two World Series, the Browns did not make it to the Super Bowl, and the Cavaliers lost two NBA finals during the drought.
• New Orleans had gone 43 years without winning a championship in any major professional sport until the New Orleans Saints brought the city its first professional sports title via the 2010 Super Bowl. The drought began in 1967, the inaugural year of the New Orleans Saints. During the drought, neither the Saints nor the Hornets made the Super Bowl or the NBA finals respectively.
• Seattle had gone 35 years without winning a championship in any major professional sport from the 1979 NBA Finals to Super Bowl XLVIII in 2014. During the drought, the Mariners never made the World Series, the Seahawks lost Super Bowl XL in 2006, and the then SuperSonics lost the 1996 NBA Finals. Including only Seattle's current major league sports teams, the Mariners and the Seahawks, increases the former drought's length to 38 years.
• Phoenix had gone 33 years without winning a championship in any major professional sport until the Diamondbacks won the 2001 World Series. The drought began in 1968 with the inception of the Phoenix Suns. During the drought, the Diamondbacks did not make the World Series, the Cardinals did not make the Super Bowl, the Suns lost two NBA Finals, and the Coyotes did not make the Stanley Cup Final. The Arizona Rattlers did win the Arena Football League twice during this dry spell, in 1994 and 1997. Since the World Series title, however, Phoenix has experienced a 16-year ongoing drought, leaving that World Series title its only major sports championship.
• Kansas City had gone 30 years without a championship in any major professional sport. The struggles started after the Royals won the 1985 World Series. During the drought, the Kansas City Royals themselves were the only team to have made it to the championship round where they lost to the Giants in 2014 while the Chiefs did not make it to the Super Bowl.
• Prior to the Capitals winning the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals, Washington, D.C. had gone 26 years without a championship in any of the “Big Four” sports. The drought began after the Redskins won Super Bowl XXVI in 1992. During the drought, the Capitals themselves were the only team from Washington, D.C. that had made it to the championship round, losing the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals before winning the 2018 Stanley Cup Finals.
• Prior to the Raptors winning the 2019 NBA Finals, Toronto had also gone 26 years without a “Big Four” title or even an appearance in a championship round. The drought began after the Blue Jays won the 1993 World Series. During the drought, no Canadian-based team had won a championship in the four major professional sports.
• Prior to the Phillies winning the 2008 World Series, Philadelphia had gone 25 years without a championship. The drought began after the 76ers won the 1983 NBA Finals. The Flyers lost the 1987 Stanley Cup Finals, the Phillies lost the 1993 World Series, the Flyers again lost the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, the 76ers lost the 2001 NBA Finals, and the Eagles lost Super Bowl XXXIX in 2005. During the 2007 MLB season, the Phillies were the first professional sports team to reach. The drought was explained by locals as the Curse of Billy Penn, in reference to the statue of William Penn atop Philadelphia City Hall and a supposed gentlemen's agreement to build nothing higher than the statue. The "curse" was lifted when a small statue was placed atop the Comcast Center, then the tallest building in Philadelphia. The current tallest building in Philadelphia, the Comcast Technology Center also has a small statue of William Penn affixed to the highest structural element.
• Prior to winning the 2017 World Series, Houston had gone 22 years without a championship in any major professional sport. The drought began after the Houston Rockets won the 1995 NBA Finals. The Astros lost the 2005 World Series, the Rockets did not make it to the NBA Finals, and the Texans did not make it to the Super Bowl during the drought.

  Outside North America

Association football

• The national team has not won a major tournament since the 1993 Copa América, accounting for 27 years without an official championship to 2020.
• Argentine Primera División regulars Gimnasia y Esgrima de La Plata has not won a professional league championship since the Professional Primera División inception in 1931.
• Other famous droughts on the Argentine Primera División were the 34-year-long drought for Racing Club de Avellaneda between 1966 and 2001 and the 18-year-long drought for Club Atlético River Plate between 1957 and 1975.

• FC Red Bull Salzburg participated in 1994–95 UEFA Champions League under the name SV Casino Salzburg, yet after Red Bull takeover, the club were repeatedly knocked out during the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Champions League, starting from 2006–07 season including eleven failed attempts. However, the club only managed to qualify directly to the 2019–20 UEFA Champions League, since the 2018–19 UEFA Champions League winners qualified for the qualifying rounds via their domestic league.

• EC Vitória has never won a national-level trophy since its fundation in 1899.
• Ponte Preta has never won a major trophy since its fundation in 1900.
• Internacional has not won the league since 1979, although coming second in four occasions since.

• The senior national team has not won a major trophy since the 1966 FIFA World Cup.
• Preston North End has not won the league since 1890.
• Newcastle United has not won a major trophy since 1969.
• West Bromwich Albion has not won the league since 1920.
• Manchester City went 35 years between winning major trophies, from the 1976 League Cup to the 2011 FA Cup.
• Liverpool had not won the league since 1990, before finally winning their first Premier League Championship in 2019-2020.
• Manchester United went 26 years without winning the league from 1967 until they ended their drought by winning the newly formed Premier League in 1993.
• Tottenham Hotspur has not won the league since 1961.
• Fulham were founded in 1879 and have never won a major trophy..
• Crystal Palace were founded in 1905 and have never won a major trophy. The closest they have come to winning a major trophy were in the 1990 and 2016 FA Cup finals. On both occasions they lost to Manchester United..
• Everton have not won a major trophy for 24 years. The last time they lifted any trophy was in 1995 when they defeated Manchester United 1–0 in the FA Cup final.

• The national team, which played their first international in 1911, managed to qualify to the first major tournament, UEFA Euro 2020, in their history.

• Saint-Étienne are the most successful team in Ligue 1 history, winning 10 titles, but their last came in the 1980–81 season.
• Olympique Gymnaste Club Nice Côte d'Azur won four Ligue 1 titles in the 1950s, but their last title was in the 1958-1959 season, 60 years ago.

• While 1.FC Nurnberg is one of the most successful teams in German footballing history, their last league title came in the 1967-1968 Bundesliga season.
• Hertha BSC won the German Championship, the equivalent of the Bundesliga in 1930 and 1931, but have not won the league since. As of 2020, it has been 89 years since Hertha has won the league.
• Schalke 04 have not won the German Championship since 1958.
• Bayer 04 Leverkusen were founded in 1904, although coming second in five occasions, they have not won the German Championship.

• The national team, played at the UEFA Euro 2016, after their last participation in the competition in 1972.

• Genoa has not won the league since 1924, and has not won a major trophy since 1937.
• Pro Vercelli has not won a major trophy since 1922.
• Bologna Football Club 1909 has won seven Serie A titles but their last came in the 1963–1964 season.

• Atlas F.C. has not won the Liga MX champlionship since the 1950-51 season. Additionally, they have not played a championship game since the Torneo de Verano 1999 final.
• Cruz Azul FC won their eighth and most recent championship in the Torneo de Invierno 1997. Since then they have qualified 6 times to the championship game, losing in every time.

• The national team managed to play three World Cup finals, in 1974, 1978 and 2010, but lost all of them.

• The national team, which played their first international in 1921, won their first major tournament in UEFA Euro 2016.
• Benfica has not won a European trophy since the 1961–62 European Cup; the club has lost eight European finals since then, the last one in 2014.

• The national team has failed to qualify for a major tournament since the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
• Dundee has not won the Scottish Cup since 1910.
• Hibernian ended a 114-year wait to win the Scottish Cup in 2016, having not won the competition since 1902. The club lost ten Scottish Cup Finals between these victories.
• St Johnstone ended a 130-year wait to win a major national trophy when they won the 2013–14 Scottish Cup.

• Real Betis won their only league championship in 1935. The other top-team of Seville, Sevilla FC, won their only La Liga championship in 1946.
• Real Madrid won six of the 11 first European Cups ever disputed, and then entered in a 32-year period without winning a single European top championship. This was broken in 1998, when Los Blancos won their seventh European top championship. This was followed by another two Champions League titles in the following four seasons.
• Arenas de Getxo is a Basque team which currently plays in the Spanish Tercera División, the fourth level in Spanish football system. The team competed in the first seven La Liga seasons starting in 1929. Previously Arenas had won the Spanish Cup in 1919, so the drought is now 100 years.

  Australian Rules football

Baseball

• The national team has not won a World Baseball Classic title since 2009.
• The Hiroshima Toyo Carp has not won a series title since 1984 and Hanshin Tigers has not won the league since its first title in 1985 in what its known as the Curse of the Colonel Sanders

• The Lotte Giants has not won a series title since 1992.

  Basketball

• The national team has not won the FIBA World Cup since the inaugural World Championship in 1950; having lost to the former Yugoslavia team in 2002 and to Spain in 2019.

  Rugby league

Rugby union

Cricket