William Hill Sports Book Of The Year Award 2026 Longlist Announced

The 12 titles longlisted for the 2026 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award have been announced, covering subjects including football, cricket, cycling, Formula One, running and golf.

Established in 1989, the award recognises sports writing across a range of disciplines and themes.

Last year’s award went to The Escape: The Tour, the Cyclist and Me, a memoir by former professional cyclist Pippa York and sports journalist David Walsh.

Previous winners also include Nick Hornby, Duncan Hamilton, Michael Holding, Jeremy Wilson and Lauren Fleshman.

12 Titles Make 2026 Longlist

The 2026 judging panel will comprise Adrian Durham, Elis James, Mark Lawson, Christine Ohuruogu and Michelle Walder.

The panel will now assess the 12 titles selected by William Hill’s reading panel before determining the final shortlist, which will be announced on 29 October.

The longlisted titles are:

• F1 Racing: Drive by Rachel Brookes

• This Is Not About Running by Mary Cain

• Ball of the Century by Brendan Cooper

• HH: Helenio Herrera – Football’s Original Master of the Dark Arts by Richard Fitzpatrick

• For A Yellow Jersey by Paul Maunder

• Tadej Pogačar: Unstoppable by Andy McGrath

• Till I Die: Why Football Means Everything (even when it shouldn’t) by Damien Pearse

• The Power Within by Sophie Power

• The Impossible Job by William Ralston

• Rory by Alan Shipnuck

• The Fall and Rise of the Mölkky Bar Kids: A Sporting Underdog Story by Neil Squires

• The Chain by Sir Bradley Wiggins

Andy McGrath is the only previous winner among this year’s longlisted authors, having received the award in 2017 for Tom Simpson: Bird on the Wire. Duncan Hamilton holds the record for the most wins, with three.

William Hill Reflects On Longlist

Neil Foggin, media manager at William Hill and a member of the reading panel, said:

“It’s a pleasure to announce the longlist for the 2026 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award. We were once again struck by the originality of this year’s longlist titles, which provide a range of unique and often challenging perspectives on elite competition, conveying the personal as well as wide-reaching impact of sport.

“Last year saw a memorable success for Pippa York and David Walsh’s The Escape – their unique account of following the Tour de France – and we look forward to seeing which of our 12 longlist authors will scoop the highest accolade in sports writing this year.

“Narrowing down the entries to this point has taken great deliberation from our reading panel, but we feel the 12 books forming this year’s longlist are an inspiring reflection of some of the best sports writing around.

“We’re excited to see which of our selected titles makes our judging panel’s shortlist, to be announced next month, and we wish all nominated authors the very best of luck!”

Winner To Receive £25,000

The final shortlist will be announced on 29 October, with the awards ceremony taking place on 24 November.

The winning author will receive the William Hill Sports Book of the Year trophy and £25,000 in prize money.

Each of the other shortlisted authors will receive £2,500 and a leather-bound copy of their book.

First awarded in 1989, the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award was established to recognise excellence in sports writing and authors whose work explores the people, stories and wider impact of sport.