The longlist for the 2026 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award has been officially revealed, highlighting some of the best literary achievements in sports writing. This prestigious award, recognized as the oldest and most valuable of its kind, celebrated its previous winner, Pippa York and David Walsh, for their compelling memoir, "The Escape: The Tour, the Cyclist and Me," which provided an insightful narrative into cycling. Their victory added them to a distinguished roster of past winners, which includes notable figures like Nick Hornby, Michael Holding, and Lauren Fleshman, since the award's inception in 1989.
The 2026 judging panel will feature Adrian Durham, Elis James, Mark Lawson, Christine Ohuruogu, and Michelle Walder. They will take over from the reading panel that evaluated a diverse range of submissions to narrow down the entries to 12 longlisted titles. The task ahead for the judging panel is to refine this selection into a final shortlist, set to be announced on October 29.
This year’s longlist spans various sports and themes, tackling issues from football and cricket to the nuances of fandom and addiction. The 12 books chosen demonstrate the profound ability of sports to inspire, entertain, and unite people. The longlisted titles are as follows:
1. "F1 Racing: Drive" by Rachel Brookes
2. "This Is Not About Running" by Mary Cain
3. "Ball of the Century" by Brendan Cooper
4. "HH: Helenio Herrera – Football’s Original Master of the Dark Arts" by Richard Fitzpatrick
5. "For A Yellow Jersey" by Paul Maunder
6. "Tadej Pogačar: Unstoppable" by Andy McGrath
7. "Till I Die: Why Football Means Everything (even when it shouldn’t)" by Damien Pearse
8. "The Power Within" by Sophie Power
9. "The Impossible Job" by William Ralston
10. "Rory" by Alan Shipnuck
11. "The Fall and Rise of the Mölkky Bar Kids: A Sporting Underdog Story" by Neil Squires
12. "The Chain" by Sir Bradley Wiggins.
Neil Foggin, Media Manager at William Hill and part of the reading panel, expressed enthusiasm for the longlist’s originality, emphasizing that the selected titles offer unique perspectives on elite competition and the widespread impact of sport. He noted the memorable success of last year's winners and expressed anticipation for which author among this year’s longlist will claim the prestigious award. The shortlist announcement is imminent, and the awards ceremony is scheduled for November 24, where the winner will be revealed.
The winner will receive the William Hill Sports Book of the Year trophy along with £25,000, while the remaining shortlisted authors will receive a leather-bound copy of their work and £2,500. Among the longlist, Andy McGrath is recognized as a previous winner of the award for his book "Tom Simpson: Bird on the Wire," about a cycling legend. Duncan Hamilton currently holds the record for the most awards, having won three times.
