The 2025–26 season was the 22nd season in the history of Milton Keynes Dons Football Club and their third consecutive season in League Two. In addition to the domestic league, the club also participated in the FA Cup, the EFL Cup and the EFL Trophy.
This was the first season since the club's founding not to feature Dean Lewington, who retired after 21 years at the club, serving between 2004 and 2025.
The club achieved promotion to League One after beating Tranmere Rovers 3–0 at Stadium MK on the penultimate weekend of the season.
Transfers and contracts In DatePos.PlayerFromFeeRef. 11 June 2025 CF £400,000 19 June 2025 CF £800,000 30 June 2025 CM Free transfer 1 June 2025 RW 1 July 2025 RB 18 July 2025 GK 28 July 2025 CF 8 August 2025 CB Undisclosed 31 August 2025 RB 8 January 2026 CAM 9 January 2026 DM 15 January 2026 CB
Out DatePos.PlayerToFeeRef. 27 June 2025 DM Undisclosed 18 August 2025 CF
Loaned in DatePos.PlayerFromDate untilRef. 26 August 2025 CB End of season 2 February 2026 GK
Loaned out DatePos.PlayerToDate untilRef. 11 July 2025 GK 17 November 2025 9 August 2025 LB 6 September 2025 1 September 2025 CB 31 May 2026 17 October 2025 RM 17 November 2025 4 November 2025 CDM 31 May 2026 20 November 2025 CAM End of season 12 December 2025 CAM 9 January 2026 19 December 2025 CB 17 January 2026 26 December 2025 LB 23 January 2026 27 December 2025 GK 7 January 2026 RB 4 February 2026 CF 16 January 2026 CM End of season RM 12 February 2026 20 January 2026 CF TBC 21 January 2026 CB End of season 10 February 2026 CF TBC 10 March 2026 GK End of season 26 March 2026 RM End of season 26 March 2026 GK End of season 29 March 2026 CF End of season
Released / Out of Contract DatePos.PlayerSubsequent clubJoin dateRef.30 June 2025 CB 1 July 2025 CF 29 July 2025 GK 30 July 2025 CM 8 August 2025 CB 11 August 2025 GK 7 November 2025 CB LB 30 January 2026 CB
New contracts DatePos.PlayerContracted untilRef. 20 June 2025 RW Undisclosed 24 June 2025 GK
Pre-season and friendlies The club's full pre-season schedule was announced on 4 June 2025. The club played just a single home match during pre-season as the Stadium MK pitch underwent a significant overhaul during the summer.
Competitions Overall record
EFL League Two
League table
Results summary
Results by round
Matches The League Two fixtures were announced on 26 June 2025. The club began the season at home to newly promoted Oldham Athletic on 2 August with the final game of the regular season being away at Fleetwood Town on 2 May.
FA Cup
The draw for the first round proper took place on 13 October 2025, with the club being drawn away to fellow League Two side Colchester United. In the second round draw, the club were drawn at home to another League Two side in Oldham Athletic. In the third round draw, the club were drawn at home to EFL Championship side Oxford United.
EFL Cup
The draw for the first round was made on 26 June 2025, with MK Dons being drawn away to EFL Championship side Bristol City.
EFL Trophy
In the group stage, MK Dons were drawn into Southern Group D alongside Reading, Swindon Town and West Ham United U21.
Statistics Appearances and goals
|colspan="14"|Player(s) who featured but departed the club permanently during the season:
Disciplinary record
Player League Two FA Cup EFL Cup EFL Trophy Total 15 DF Luke Offord 9 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 1 1 22 DF Jon Mellish 6 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 9 1 1 8 MF Alex Gilbey 9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 0 0 32 DF Jack Sanders 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 6 MF Liam Kelly 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 7 MF Daniel Crowley 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 13 FW Callum Paterson 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 20 MF Kane Thompson-Sommers 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 5 0 0 11 FW Nathaniel Mendez-Laing 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 16 MF Aaron Nemane 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 21 DF Marvin Ekpiteta 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 4 DF Nathan Thompson 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 17 FW Jonathan Leko 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 18 MF Will Collar 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 2 DF Gethin Jones 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 9 FW Scott Hogan 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 23 DF Laurence Maguire 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 25 DF Curtis Nelson 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 29 FW Rushian Hepburn-Murphy 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 38 MF Keon Lewis-Burgess 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 24 MF Connor Lemonheigh-Evans 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 28 MF Jay Matete 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 47 MF Simone Troso 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 49 FW Chase Medwynter 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 Totals 81 3 2 6 0 0 2 0 0 6 0 0 94 3 2
Awards MK Dons Player of the Month
The winner of the award was chosen via a poll on the club's official website.
Player Month DF Jack Sanders August 2025 CF Callum Paterson September 2025 MF Aaron Nemane October 2025 FW Nathaniel Mendez-Laing November 2025 DF Jack Sanders December 2025 CF Callum Paterson January 2026 MF Liam Kelly February 2026 DF Marvin Ekpiteta March 2026
EFL League Two Team of the Season On 19 April 2026, three Milton Keynes Dons players, Liam Kelly, Callum Paterson and Jack Sanders, were named in the EFL League Two Team of the Season at the 2026 EFL Awards.
References