The curtain rises on the 2025-26 League One season this Friday night at Kenilworth Road, where Luton Townwelcome AFC Wimbledon in what promises to be a lively opener under the lights.
After suffering back-to-back relegations that saw them plummet from the Premier League to League One in just two seasons, the Hatters are desperate to turn the tide. Matt Bloomfield has been handed the reins and the responsibility of steering the club back toward the Championship, and with one of the most talented squads in the division, Luton are firmly tipped among the frontrunners for promotion.
This clash presents an early opportunity for the Bedfordshire outfit to lay down a statement of intent.
For Wimbledon, the narrative is quite different. Fresh off a play-off triumph last season, the Dons are back in League One after a three-year exile. Johnnie Jackson has built his side around grit and defensive resilience, and he'll be hoping that same formula helps them survive the step up and avoid getting dragged into a relegation scrap.
Here, GOAL brings you everything you need to know about how to watch, including TV channel, streaming details and more.
How to watch Luton vs AFC Wimbledon online - TV channels & live streams
 | Paramount+ | Watch here |
The match will be streamed live on Paramount+ in the US. Live updates can be found here on GOAL.
How to watch anywhere with VPN
If you are abroad, you may need to use a virtual private network (VPN) in order to watch games using your usual streaming service. A VPN, such as NordVPN, allows you to establish a secure connection online when streaming. If you are not sure which VPN to use, check out GOAL's guide to the best VPNs for streaming sport.
Luton vs AFC Wimbledon kick-off time
The League One match will be played at Kenilworth Road on Friday, August 1, with kick-off at 3:00 pm ET or 12:00 pm PT for fans in the US.
Team news & squads
Luton vs AFC Wimbledon lineups
3-4-2-1
Formation
3-5-2
WIMLUT-Line up
LUTSubstitutes
Manager
M. Bloomfield
Injuries and Suspended players
Injuries and Suspensions
- No sidelined players
Injuries and Suspensions
- No sidelined players
Luton team news
Luton have been active in the market, reinforcing with proven EFL campaigners such as Kal Naismith, George Saville, and Nahki Wells, a trio expected to bring leadership and quality across the park. Perhaps the most intriguing addition is young goalkeeper Josh Keeley, signed from Spurs for £1 million. He impressed with a clean sheet in a friendly against his former club and looks poised to be a key figure this season.
However, injuries will leave Elijah Adebayo and Jacob Brown on the sidelines for the season opener, two notable losses in attack. There's also been a shake-up in the squad, with Thelo Aasgaard heading to Rangers just half a year after arriving, while long-serving midfielder Pelly-Ruddock Mpanzu has moved on after an incredible 12-year spell.
AFC Wimbledon team news
As for Wimbledon, pre-season saw encouraging signs with Sam Hutchinson and Omar Bugiel returning to full fitness; both could feature from the start. The south Londoners also secured Nathan Bishop from Sunderland to bolster their options in goal, and he may well be kept busy in what's likely to be a testing campaign.
Form
LUT-Form
LUT- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 8/6
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 2/5
- Both teams scored
- 2/5
WIM-Form
WIMAFC Wimbledon
0
-
3
Millwall
L
Watford
1
-
1
AFC Wimbledon
D
AFC Wimbledon
1
-
0
Walsall
W
AFC Wimbledon
1
-
0
Notts Co.
W
Notts Co.
0
-
1
AFC Wimbledon
W
- Goal Scored (Conceded)
- 4/4
- Games over 2.5 goals
- 1/5
- Both teams scored
- 1/5
Head-to-Head Record
LUTLast 5 matches
WIM3
Wins
1
Draw
1
Win
Luton
2
-
2
AFC Wimbledon
AFC Wimbledon
0
-
2
Luton
AFC Wimbledon
1
-
2
Luton
AFC Wimbledon
4
-
1
Luton
Luton
2
-
0
AFC Wimbledon
Goals scored
7- Games over 2.5 goals
- 3/5
- Both teams scored
- 3/5