Today we turn our attentions to the programme produced by West Ham United for the 2025/26 season. The Hammers have won our Gold Award on three occasions in the past, and have produced another exceptional issue this time around. Read our full review of the programme below and click here to see all of the 2025/26 issues.
The Hammers, three times winners of our annual Gold Award, return with another mammoth issue – expanded this season to 132 pages. Even allowing for more than a quarter of the programme being given over to advertising, each issue is still offering well over a dozen pages of content more than any other Premier League issue. It is the largest standard programme a top-flight club has ever produced.
One of the hallmarks of West Ham’s programme in recent times has been the broad range of well-written content, and this season’s edition is no exception. Among the highlights is The Boys of 86 – which looks back 40 years to the West Ham team who finished third in Division One – the club’s highest-ever league finish. Written by Steve Blowers, the feature analyses the season through a series of in-depth interviews with the people involved – both on and off the field – providing a revealing insight into a memorable campaign. The use of contemporary press clippings, alongside photographs and images of memorabilia such as ticket stubs, puts the gloss on a fine feature.
In a similar vein is 20 Years On, in which Sid Lambert reviews the 2005/06 season – which saw the club return to the top-flight after a couple of seasons playing in the second-tier, and a run to the FA Cup Final. Added Time Tunnel explores notable moments from the club’s past, set alongside the wider cultural backdrop of the time, while Hammerabilia returns, with historian Steve Marsh examining connections between West Ham and their matchday opponents through the lens of various items of memorabilia, such as programmes and football cards.
There are columns from Evening Standard columnist Ken Dyer and sportswriter and Hammers fan Duncan Wright. The central player interview is extensive, spanning nine pages, and complemented by a further two-pages of statistical analysis from Jack Elderton and Callum Goodall of Analytics United. My Top Three invites a member of the current squad to select their favourite goals, matches, and teammates. Each edition also includes a four-page interview with a celebrity supporter, and an eight-page junior pull-out section.
The visitors’ section runs to nine pages and utilises much the same format as recent seasons. Introductory notes set the scene for the day’s match, providing comment on recent developments and form, while a Depth Chart provides a simple tactical overview. Profiles of the manager and players are organised by position, offering a more meaningful assessment of the team’s strengths than the standard pen-picture format. The section is also enhanced by a two-page statistical analysis from Analytics United, using performance data to assess the strengths and potential weaknesses of the visiting club.
Each issue demonstrates a commitment to comprehensive coverage of all aspects of the club. Coverage of the club’s academy and women’s teams is covered is especially impressive, with multiple pages of match updates and statistics sitting alongside players interviews and news round-ups. A notable addition is The Academy of Internationals, which profiles players who have progressed through the club’s youth ranks to have high-profile careers, including recognition on the international stage. In total, coverage beyond the first-team extends to 14 pages, offering a level of detail few clubs come close to matching.
Alongside the usual manager and captain columns, there is information from the supporter services team, various news articles, and reports from recent matches, including line-ups and match statistics. The work of the club’s Foundation is covered across three pages, while Over Land and Sea previews upcoming away trips, with practical information for supporters on details like travel arrangements. A further four pages are given over to Premier League and club statistics.
The high standards West Ham have set in recent times are maintained once again this season. The sheer volume of content packed into each issue, across original features, opposition coverage, and club information, is striking, with the inclusion of the statistical analyses, alongside the main player interview and visitor section, further enhancing a superb programme.