Why AFC Wimbledon Fans Hate MK Dons: The Rivalry Explained

The short answer. AFC Wimbledon fans hate MK Dons because in 2002 the FA allowed their club, Wimbledon FC, to be moved 60 miles to Milton Keynes, where it was renamed MK Dons in 2004. The supporters refused to follow, founded AFC Wimbledon from scratch in the ninth tier, and climbed back to the Football League and home to Plough Lane. To them, MK Dons is the club that was built on top of theirs.

The two clubs are in League One together in 2026/27. The first meeting, at Plough Lane on Thursday 17 September 2026, finished 0–0. The return is at Stadium MK, currently on Saturday 17 April 2027.

Why do AFC Wimbledon fans hate MK Dons?

To understand this fixture you have to go back to the original Wimbledon FC, the "Crazy Gang" who climbed from non-league to the top flight and beat Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final.

Wimbledon FC left their original Plough Lane ground in 1991 to share Selhurst Park with Crystal Palace, and never got home. By 2001 the club's owners wanted to move it 60 miles north to Milton Keynes, a town with no Football League club.

The key moments:

• May 2002: an independent FA commission approved the move by a 2–1 vote, despite hundreds of objections from supporters of Wimbledon and clubs across the country.

• June 2002: within weeks, Wimbledon supporters founded AFC Wimbledon, a new, fan-owned club. It started in the Combined Counties League, the ninth tier, holding open trials on Wimbledon Common to find a squad.

• 2003–2004: Wimbledon FC played in Milton Keynes, and in 2004 were renamed Milton Keynes Dons.

• 2007: the trophies and honours of the original Wimbledon FC were returned to the London Borough of Merton, and MK Dons stopped claiming the old club's history as their own.

For AFC Wimbledon supporters, MK Dons is the club built on top of theirs. Many still refuse to use the name at all. In 2017 the EFL charged AFC Wimbledon for listing the visitors only as "MK" on scoreboards and in the programme. The dispute was settled through mediation in 2019.

It's worth saying that MK Dons now have their own history, their own academy graduates and a fanbase of people who had nothing to do with 2002. That's part of what makes the fixture so tense: both sets of fans feel their club is legitimate.

How did AFC Wimbledon get back to Plough Lane?

AFC Wimbledon's rise is one of the great stories in football. The club was promoted six times in 13 seasons, reaching the Football League in 2011 and League One in 2016. It is still controlled by its supporters through the Dons Trust.

The fairy-tale ending came in November 2020, when the club opened its new Plough Lane stadium about 250 yards from the original ground, in the same street and the same borough it had been taken from. Fans helped fund it.

The two clubs first met in 2012, in an FA Cup tie at Stadium MK settled deep into stoppage time. Recent meetings have gone Wimbledon's way. They won 1–0 at Plough Lane in March 2024, thanks to a 91st-minute Ronan Curtis goal, and 3–0 in September 2024, their biggest win in the fixture.

What was AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons like in 2022? A co-founder's matchday

On 9 April 2022, Assaf, one of Football Finder's co-founders, took his seat at Plough Lane for AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons in League One. The two clubs were at opposite ends of the table. MK Dons were chasing automatic promotion, while Wimbledon were fighting relegation, which they couldn't avoid that season.

The crowd. Around 7,800 people were inside the new ground, about 1,000 of them from Milton Keynes. For a third-tier match, the noise was extraordinary. The home end didn't let up for 90 minutes, and it was clear to anyone watching that this was far more than three points.

The goals. Alex Woodyard gave Wimbledon the lead on 19 minutes, scrambling the ball in after MK Dons failed to clear a set piece. Wimbledon held on until the 80th minute, when Troy Parrott, on loan from Tottenham, volleyed a stunning equaliser in off the underside of the bar. It finished 1–1.

The flashpoint. After the equaliser, the away end went up. Smoke bombs were let off, some MK Dons supporters pushed through the stewards' and police line, and play was briefly stopped. Nothing lasted long, but in the ground you could feel how much the fixture meant.

What it cost (2022 prices): adult tickets were about £24, kids' tickets just £5, and a pint inside the ground was £4–6. That's a fraction of top-flight prices, for an atmosphere many Premier League grounds can't match.

That's the kind of match we built Football Finder for.

When is the next AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons match?

The return fixture is at Stadium MK on Saturday 17 April 2027 in League One. Kick-offs move for TV, so check the MK Dons vs AFC Wimbledon match page closer to the date for the confirmed time, tickets and travel

To get every future meeting in your alerts, follow both clubs: AFC Wimbledon · MK Dons.

How to get AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons tickets

Buy directly from the home club. For games at Plough Lane that's AFC Wimbledon's ticket site; for games at Stadium MK it's MK Dons. Away fans buy through their own club, which sells the away-end allocation.

Plough Lane holds just over 9,000, so this fixture can sell out, especially in the home sections. Big games often go on sale to members and season-ticket holders first, so check early. Stadium MK is much bigger, so tickets for the home sections there are usually easier to find.

Can't find tickets? Send us a message on WhatsApp and we'll try to help.

How to get to Plough Lane (The Cherry Red Records Stadium)

Plough Lane is in Wimbledon, south-west London (SW17), near the border with Tooting and Earlsfield. It's easy to reach from central London by public transport. Don't drive: parking nearby is very limited on matchdays.

• Tube: Wimbledon Park (District line) is about a 9–10 minute walk.

• Train: Haydons Road (Thameslink) is the closest rail station. Earlsfield (South Western Railway, direct from Waterloo) is about a 15–20 minute walk.

• Bus: several routes stop on Plough Lane and at the Wimbledon Stadium stop, a few minutes' walk from the ground.

For an evening kick-off, allow at least an hour from central London and remember the commuter rush.

See the full Plough Lane stadium page for live transit options and a map.

How to get to Stadium MK

Stadium MK is in Denbigh, on the Bletchley side of Milton Keynes, and holds about 30,500. Trains from London Euston reach Bletchley or Milton Keynes Central in around 35 to 50 minutes. Fenny Stratford, on the Marston Vale line, is the closest station, about a 15 minute walk; Bletchley is around 30 minutes on foot. Unlike Plough Lane, the stadium has large car parks.

See the Stadium MK page for transit options and a map.

Where to eat and drink before AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons

Assaf's tip from 2022: head to Tooting before the game. Tooting Market and Broadway Market near Tooting Broadway station are packed with cheap, excellent food stalls from all over the world, and it's a short bus ride or a 20-minute walk to the ground.

For pubs, cafés and things to do around the stadium, see what's near Plough Lane. On derby day, stick to home-fan pubs only if you're a home fan. Away supporters should follow MK Dons' travel advice.

Where to stay

• For Plough Lane: south-west London puts you close to the ground with easy trains into town. Hotels near Plough Lane.

• For Stadium MK: hotels near Stadium MK, or stay in London and take the train from Euston.

Making a weekend of it? Browse tours and things to do in London, then see every football match in London and what's on this weekend. There's usually more than one game within reach.

Is AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons worth watching as a neutral?

Yes, as long as you know what you're walking into. You get a compact, modern, loud stadium, cheap tickets, a story that goes to the heart of who football belongs to, and a real edge in the stands. If you like your football with meaning rather than glamour, this is one of the best-value nights out in London.

Follow both clubs on Football Finder to get fixtures and ticket alerts: AFC Wimbledon · MK Dons.

FAQ: AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons

When is the next AFC Wimbledon vs MK Dons match?

At Stadium MK on Saturday 17 April 2027 in League One (date and kick-off subject to TV changes). The first meeting of 2026/27, at Plough Lane on 17 September 2026, ended 0–0.

Why is there a rivalry between AFC Wimbledon and MK Dons?

In 2002 the FA allowed Wimbledon FC to relocate to Milton Keynes. The club became MK Dons in 2004. Wimbledon supporters formed AFC Wimbledon, a new fan-owned club, in protest.

What is AFC Wimbledon's stadium called?

Plough Lane, known for sponsorship as The Cherry Red Records Stadium. It opened in November 2020 near the site of Wimbledon FC's original ground.

What is the capacity of Plough Lane?

Just over 9,000.

What is the nearest station to Plough Lane?

Haydons Road (Thameslink) is the closest rail station. Wimbledon Park on the District line is about a 10-minute walk.

How much are AFC Wimbledon tickets?

In 2022, adult tickets were about £24 and children's £5. Prices change by season and fixture.

What happened the last time AFC Wimbledon played MK Dons?

AFC Wimbledon 0–0 MK Dons, at Plough Lane on Thursday 17 September 2026 in League One.