diff --git a/packages/router/src/directives/router_link.ts b/packages/router/src/directives/router_link.ts
index fcc1fa753c..86fb3645e1 100644
--- a/packages/router/src/directives/router_link.ts
+++ b/packages/router/src/directives/router_link.ts
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ import {UrlTree} from '../url_tree';
  *
  * @publicApi
  */
-@Directive({selector: ':not(a)[routerLink]'})
+@Directive({selector: ':not(a):not(area)[routerLink]'})
 export class RouterLink {
   // TODO(issue/24571): remove '!'.
   @Input() queryParams !: {[k: string]: any};
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ export class RouterLink {
  *
  * @publicApi
  */
-@Directive({selector: 'a[routerLink]'})
+@Directive({selector: 'a[routerLink],area[routerLink]'})
 export class RouterLinkWithHref implements OnChanges, OnDestroy {
   // TODO(issue/24571): remove '!'.
   @HostBinding('attr.target') @Input() target !: string;
diff --git a/packages/router/test/integration.spec.ts b/packages/router/test/integration.spec.ts
index b920faa984..aa8dbbdc60 100644
--- a/packages/router/test/integration.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/router/test/integration.spec.ts
@@ -1939,6 +1939,25 @@ describe('Integration', () => {
          expect(history[history.length - 1].state)
              .toEqual({foo: 'bar', navigationId: history.length});
        })));
+
+    it('should set href on area elements', fakeAsync(() => {
+         @Component({
+           selector: 'someRoot',
+           template: `<router-outlet></router-outlet><map><area routerLink="/home" /></map>`
+         })
+         class RootCmpWithArea {
+         }
+
+         TestBed.configureTestingModule({declarations: [RootCmpWithArea]});
+         const router: Router = TestBed.get(Router);
+
+         const fixture = createRoot(router, RootCmpWithArea);
+
+         router.resetConfig([{path: 'home', component: SimpleCmp}]);
+
+         const native = fixture.nativeElement.querySelector('area');
+         expect(native.getAttribute('href')).toEqual('/home');
+       }));
   });
 
   describe('redirects', () => {