The William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2025, the world’s longest-running and most prestigious prize for sports writing, has officially announced the longlist of titles in contention for this year’s award.
Since its inception in 1989, the prize has celebrated the very best in sports literature, with past winners including Duncan Hamilton, Michael Holding, Jeremy Wilson, Lauren Fleshman, and most recently, Conor Niland, who won in 2024 with The Racket, a moving account of the highs and lows of his professional tennis career.
The 2025 judging panel
The panel will be chaired by Alyson Rudd, joined by Clarke Carlisle, Elis James, Gabby Logan, Mark Lawson, Dame Heather Rabbatts, and Michelle Wilder. Together, they will refine the longlist—compiled by William Hill’s reading panel—into the official shortlist to be announced on 30 October.
A diverse and powerful selection
This year’s longlist features 15 titles that explore topics ranging from football, cricket, and athletics, to deeply personal memoirs and cultural perspectives on sport. The variety reflects once again the power of sport to inspire, challenge, and connect audiences worldwide.
The 15 longlisted titles for 2025:
- Finding the Edge – Jimmy Anderson
- Ultra Women – Lily Canter & Emma Wilkinson
- I Can’t Stop Thinking About VAR – Daisy Christodoulou
- The Warrior – Christopher Clarey
- States of Play – Miguel Delaney
- More Than a Shirt – Joey D’Urso
- European Football’s Greatest Grounds – Leon Gladwell
- Chasing Salah – Simon Hughes
- The Last Bell – Donald McRae
- Engulfed – James Montague
- Go to War – Jon Spurling
- The Escape – Pippa York & David Walsh
- Test Cricket – Tim Wigmore
- The Power and The Glory – Jonathan Wilson
- The Art of Batting – Jarrod Kimber
Words from the organizers
Neil Foggin, Media Manager at William Hill and a member of the reading panel, said:
“We are delighted to unveil this year’s longlist. Once again, the breadth of topics has surprised and inspired us – from the intricacies of cricket and football to the human and cultural stories that sport continues to generate around the globe. Conor Niland’s unforgettable win last year, with the first tennis book ever to take the prize, was a milestone, and we are excited to see who will capture the award this year with such an outstanding selection.”
“Narrowing down the entries was no easy task, but what we now have is a collection that truly captures the drama, spirit, and influence of sport in all its forms. Congratulations to all the authors who made it this far; to be longlisted is already a remarkable achievement.”
Key dates and prize
The shortlist will be announced on 30 October, with the official awards ceremony taking place on 25 November, when the winner will be revealed.
The winning author will receive the William Hill Sports Book of the Year trophy and a cash prize of £30,000, while each shortlisted author will receive a leather-bound copy of their book and £3,000 in cash.
Donald McRae will be aiming to claim the award for a record-equalling third time, having previously won in 1996 and 2002. The current record holder remains Duncan Hamilton, with three career wins.
