Highlights from the Wigan Athletic Academy 2025–26 season showcasing progress along the EPPP development pathway for youth players.
Based in Lancashire, Wigan Athletic FC runs a category 2 academy.
Wigan Athletic Retained List 2025
View the complete list of Wigan Athletic players who have been retained, released, or have returned to their parent clubs following loan spells.
Wigan Athletic Scholars 2025/26
- Josh Adaji
- Herbie Cairns
- Liam Edwards
- Dan Gelhardt
- Charlie Hughes
- Henry Miller
- Erdis Reci
- Conor Spelman
- Lucas Tobin
- Charlie Wesseldine
Wigan Athletic Academy Players On Loan 2025/26
Youth players on loan.
- Kai Payne (Midfielder) Oldham Athletic
- Tom Watson (Goalkeeper) South Shields
- K’Marni Miller (Defender) Radcliffe
- Leo Graham (Midfielder) Bury
- Matty Corran (Goalkeeper) Atherton Collieries
- Christy Edwards (Forward) Witton Albion
- Jack Rogers (Midfielder) Macclesfield
- Chris Sze (Midfielder) Southport
- Adam Moseley (Forward) Kingdom Wigan Athletic Academy
- Matteo Spinelli (Goalkeeper) Joins Prescot Cables
Wigan Athletic Academy Competitions
U17 Professional Development League Cup
The U17 Professional Development League Cup is an English youth football tournament created for players aged 17 and under.
U17 PDL Cup Group Stage
Wigan Athletic U17 will play against Under-17 teams from Doncaster Rovers, Preston North End and Morecambe.
- Wigan U17 drew away against Morecambe U17 (1 – 1)
- Wigan U17 lost away against Doncaster Rovers U17 (4 – 1)
- Wigan U17 won at home against Preston North End U17 (3 – 2)
U18 Professional Development League
The Under-18 Professional Development League is a leading English youth competition for Category Two academies, comprising 20 teams split into North and South regional divisions.
It delivers a high-level development pathway for promising players, combining league competition with a national play-off system.
Below are the team standings at the winter break, marking roughly the halfway point of the season.
U18 Professional Development League Cup
Established for the 2021/22 season, the Professional Development League Cup features 32 teams divided into eight groups of four.
The group winners advance to the knockout stages.
U18 Professional Development League Cup Group Stage
Wigan Athletic U18 are drawn in Group E against under-18 teams: Fleetwood Town, Stockport County and Blackpool.
Fixtures Schedule (Group E)
- Match Round 1 (Tuesday 26 August 2025) Wigan Athletic v Blackpool
- Match Round 2 (Saturday 4 October 2025) Fleetwood v Wigan Athletic
- Match Round 3 (Saturday 22 November 2025) Wigan Athletic v Stockport County
- Wigan Athletic U18 lost at home against Blackpool U18 (1 – 4)
- Wigan Athletic U18 won away against Fleetwood Town U18 (0 – 3)
- Wigan Athletic U18 lost at home against Stockport County U18 (1 – 3)
FA Youth Cup
First Round Proper
Wigan Athletic U18 have been drawn at home against Salford City U18
- Wigan Athletic U18 won at home against Salford City U18 (2 – 1)
Second Round Proper
Wigan Athletic U18 have been drawn at home against Walsall U18
- Wigan Athletic U18 won at home against Walsall U18 (2 – 0)
- Charlie Hughes
- Dan Gelhardt
Third Round Proper
Wigan Athletic U18 have been drawn away against Oxford United U18
- Wigan Athletic U18 lost away against Oxford United U18 (2 – 0)
Professional Development League
Professional Development League 2—is England’s main youth competition for Category Two academies. It sits just below Premier League 2, providing Under-21 players with a key pathway toward first-team football.
The league is split into regional North and South divisions, with play-offs determining the national champion, and it offers a highly competitive platform for developing top young talent.
Below are the team standings at the winter break, marking roughly the halfway point of the season.
Lancashire FA Professional Youth Cup
First Round
- Wigan Athletic U18 lost away against Preston North End U18 (4 – 1)
- Dan Gelhardt
Central League Cup
2025/26 Central League Cup Fixtures announced.
15 teams have entered the competition, divided into four groups:
The top two teams from each group will then advance to the quarterfinals.
Wigan Athletic Reserves Central League Group Stage 2025/26
Wigan Athletic Reserves are drawn in Group A against Reserve teams from Rotherham United, Stoke City and Bolton Wanderers.
- Wigan Athletic Reserves won at home against Rotherham Reserves (1 – 0)
- Wigan Athletic Reserves won away against Stock City Reserves (1 – 4)
- Wigan Athletic Reserves won away against Bolton Wanderers Reserves (0 – 1)
Wigan Athletic Academy News
9th May 2025
The following second year scholars have been offered a professional contract at Wigan Athletic.
- Jake Spaven
- Sam Bolland
- Christy Edwards
- James Knott
- Charley McKee
- Alex Hughes
- Harrison Rimmer
- Cole Simms
- Reece Greenhalgh
Whilst these two have previously offered a professional contract and accepted:
- Harrison Bettoni
- Elijah Igiehon
13th June 2025
Matty Corran has signed a one-year extension with Wigan Athletic.
11th July 2025
19-year-old K’Marni Miller has signed a new two-year deal, with an option to extend for an additional 12 months.
24th September 2025
17-year-old midfielder Joe Gilbertson has joined Wigan Athletic U18s after a successful trial.
The former Steven Gerrard Academy player has signed a deal running until the end of the 2025/26 season.
4th November 2025
Wigan Athletic U18s will host Walsall U18 in the FA Youth Cup second round proper on Friday, November 21st, with kick-off at 6:00 pm.
27th November 2025
Wigan Athletic U18s will travel to face Oxford United U18 in the FA Youth Cup third round on Wednesday, December 17th at the Kassam Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 6:00 pm.
17th December 2025
Wigan Athletic U18s’ FA Youth Cup journey came to an end in the third round with a 2 – 0 defeat to Oxford United U18s.
8th January 2026
Adam Moseley has signed for Wigan Athletic after a successful trial. He will join the Under-21 squad after putting pen to paper on a deal with the club.