Wigan Athletic recognised for 'gold' standard by the EFL
Wigan Athletic have been awarded a Family Excellence Gold Award for the 2025/26 season for the first time in the club's history.
Their overall score of 9.0 out of 10 saw the club ranked third in League One and fifth across the whole of the EFL for fan engagement.
It grades the quality of match experience across a range of touchpoints, including ticket purchase, matchday entertainment, accessibility, facilities, and communications.
“We are incredibly proud to have received the Gold Award as part of the EFL’s family excellence scheme - a landmark achievement," said fan engagement manager Diane Winnard.
“This recognition is a testament to the dedication and hard work of colleagues across every department, who have embraced feedback from previous assessments and remained fully committed to enhancing the matchday experience for all supporters.
“Above all, the award underlines the club’s ongoing commitment to supporter engagement and to creating a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment where young fans and families feel truly at home, build lifelong memories, and cannot wait to return to the Brick Community Stadium."
EFL chief executive officer, Trevor Birch, said: “We are incredibly proud to see clubs excelling in the EFL’s family excellence scheme this season. Their success reflects their dedication to creating welcoming, inclusive, and enjoyable matchday experiences for families across the country.
"The scheme is designed to support clubs as they grow their family offer, enabling them to inspire lifelong connections with supporters and engage the next generation of fans.”
Gold award winners: AFC Wimbledon, Blackburn Rovers, Bradford City, Bristol City, Cambridge United, Coventry City, Derby County, Doncaster Rovers, Exeter City, Harrogate Town, Huddersfield Town, Hull City, Ipswich Town, Lincoln City, Middlesbrough, Plymouth Argyle, Preston North End, Reading, Stoke City, Tranmere Rovers, Walsall, Wigan Athletic.
Silver award winners: Accrington Stanley, Barnsley, Birmingham City, Bolton Wanderers, Burton Albion, Cardiff City, Charlton Athletic, Crewe Alexandra, Fleetwood Town, Grimsby Town, Leicester City, Luton Town, Mansfield Town, Millwall, Milton Keynes Dons, Newport County, Northampton Town, Norwich City, Notts County, Peterborough United, Port Vale, Portsmouth, Queens Park Rangers, Rotherham United, Salford City, Sheffield United, Southampton, Stevenage, Stockport County, Swansea City, Watford, Wycombe Wanderers
Bronze award winners: Barrow, Blackpool, Bristol Rovers, Cheltenham Town, Chesterfield, Colchester United, Crawley Town, Gillingham, Leyton Orient, Oldham Athletic, Oxford United, Sheffield Wednesday, Shrewsbury Town, Swindon Town, West Bromwich Albion, Wrexham.