AFC Wimbledon earned promotion to League One with a nail-biting 1-0 victory against Walsall on a record-breaking day at Wembley.
The Dons struck the League Two play-off final winner in first half stoppage-time via Myles Hippolyte’s strike from outside the box.
Walsall came close to an equaliser early in the second half but Riley Harbottle made a stunning block off the line to deny Jamille Matt.
Torrential rain poured from the north-west London sky as both sides fought for the coveted prize of promotion to League One.
And it was Wimbledon who held on until the final whistle and confirmed their rise into the third tier after a three-year absence.
The match also witnessed history in the EFL play-offs with a record number of supporters visiting Wembley Stadium for the matches.
Sunderland’s 2-1 win against Sheffield United saw an attendance of 82,718 fans for the crucial Championship play-off clash.
On Sunday, 76,193 made the trip as Charlton sneaked a 1-0 win past Leyton Orient for the League One showpiece.
And then Wimbledon vs Walsall brought 50,947 supporters to bring the total across the weekend to 209,858.
This has beaten the record previously set in 2008, which saw 197,550 visit for the three matches.
Wimbledon’s win marks another successful chapter in their history since being founded in 2002 by former Wimbledon FC supporters.
They first gained promotion into the English Football League in 2011 before rising into League One five years later.
The Dons spent six seasons in the third tier but were relegated at the end of the 2021/22 campaign after finishing 23rd.
League Two form improved after an initial 21st-placed ending in their first season back, with tenth followed by fifth this time round.
Wimbledon were 2-0 winners against Notts County in the play-off semi-finals and are now heading back to League One.
They join League Two champions Doncaster Rovers, Port Vale and Bradford City there next season.
Walsall on the other hand have only added to their dreadful run of form in 2025 that has seen them miss out on promotion.
The Saddlers were once eight points clear at the top of League Two with a game in hand but suffered a 13-match winless run.
They finally won on the last day of the season against Crewe Alexandra but missed out on automatic promotion by one point.
Walsall are now heading for a seventh consecutive season in League Two following their collapse.
