London AFC Wimbledon

AFC Wimbledon were founded in 2002 by supporters of Wimbledon FC after the Football Association controversially allowed the original club to relocate to Milton Keynes, where it eventually became MK Dons. Starting in the Combined Counties League — the ninth tier of English football — the phoenix club won five promotions in nine years to reach the Football League in 2011, one of the most remarkable ascents in football history. The club is owned by The Dons Trust, a democratic supporters' trust, making AFC Wimbledon one of the largest fan-owned clubs in England.

The return to Plough Lane in November 2020 was a watershed moment. The original Wimbledon FC had played at the ground until 1991, and the construction of a new stadium on the same site represented the spiritual completion of the fans' journey. The 9,215-capacity ground in south-west London has become the heart of a club that prides itself on doing things differently — community ownership, sustainable growth, and an identity rooted in the belief that football clubs belong to their supporters.

On the pitch, AFC Wimbledon have experienced the full range of League One and League Two football. Relegated from League One in 2021-22, the Dons bounced back immediately via the League Two play-offs in 2023. The 2025-26 season sees the club sitting comfortably in 13th place in League One under Johnnie Jackson, continuing to defy the odds as one of the smallest clubs in the division.