Preview: AFC Wimbledon vs Wigan Athletic - prediction, team news, lineups

The bottom two in League One are set to clash at the Cherry Red Records Stadium on Sunday, when AFC Wimbledon host Wigan Athletic.

The Dons are looking for their first win in four games, while the Latics are hoping to get off the mark.

Match preview

Johnnie Jackson's Wimbledon finished just four points above the relegation zone in 2025-26, and unless they can stabilise soon, the club could find themselves in yet another fight for survival this season.

The Dons kicked off their 2026-27 League One campaign by losing 3-0 to Huddersfield Town on August 15, before drawing their second outing 0-0 with Reading a week later.

Those disappointing results have left Jackson's side 23rd in the third tier with just a single point to their name, a concerning sight, even if positions in the table matter little at this stage.

Last time out, Wimbledon were throughly beaten 3-0 by Fulham in the second round of the EFL Cup, extending their winless run to four matches across all competitions, and blanking for the third time over their five matches this term.

To make matters worse, the Dons' are yet to win within 90 minutes this season, considering their only triumph of the campaign came via a penalty shootout against Newport County on August 8, following a 1-1 stalemate during regular time in the EFL Cup.

All that said, three points on Sunday could act as a springboard for Jackson's men, who will take heart from the fact they have lost just one of their last five home games.

Meanwhile, Wigan finished 16th in League One last term, but manager Gary Caldwell will have greater ambitions than mere survival for the club he captained as a player.

However, the Latics are still waiting to put their first points on the board in 2026-27, having lost both of their third-tier outings so far, a worrying turn of events that has placed them at the bottom of the pile.

Caldwell's side were beaten 3-2 by Cambridge United on matchday one - a game during which they went 3-0 down by the 52nd minute - before losing 2-0 to Leyton Orient August 22, leaving fans desperate for a positive result this weekend.

The one moment of light for Wigan this term came as they bested Aston Villa Under-21s 3-2 in the EFL Trophy on August 18, but that contest also continued a concerning trend of defensive frailty that has seen the team concede twice in three of their four outings so far.

The Latics are the only club in the division without a point to date, but if they are to change that troubling fact on Sunday, they will need to defy their from, which features three consecutive defeats in competitive away matches, as well as just one win from their last 13.

AFC Wimbledon League One form:

AFC Wimbledon form (all competitions):

Wigan Athletic League One form:

Wigan Athletic form (all competitions):

Team News

After rotating against Fulham, Wimbledon could return to a back three of Isaac Ogundere, Dan Sweeney and Ryan Johnson this weekend, with James Tilley and Steve Seddon flanking the trio as wing-backs.

Elsewhere, Zack Nelson, Alistair Smith and Myles Hippolyte look set to patrol the centre of the park on Sunday, platforming a strike partnership of Marcus Browne and Jayden Stockley.

As for Wigan, they are missing striker Christian Saydee once again as he recovers from a calf injury he suffered during pre-season.

In his absence, Sonny Perkins could start up top, supported in attack by Chris Sze and Dara Costelloe.

At the opposite end of the pitch, James Carragher, Morgan Fox and Jon Mellish are likely to form Caldwell's backline, protecting Joe Walsh between the sticks.

AFC Wimbledon possible starting lineup:

McDonnell; Ogundere, Sweeney, Johnson; Tilley, Nelson, Smith, Hippolyte, Seddon; Browne, Stockley

Wigan Athletic possible starting lineup:

Walsh; Carragher, Fox, Mellish; Barrett, Weir, Power, Murray; Sze, Costelloe; Perkins

We say: AFC Wimbledon 1-1 Wigan Athletic

Wimbledon have failed to find the back of the net in three of their five matches so far this season, so expect to see a low-scoring game this weekend.

However, Wigan have proven defensively weak - the Latics have conceded twice in three of their four outings in 2026-27 - and they are unlikely to escape with all three points as a result.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.