The Athletic FC Podcast has been crowned Sports Podcast of the Year for the first time at the British Podcast Awards.

The show, hosted by Ayo Akinwolere and Adam Leventhal, beat stiff opposition from industry heavyweights to collect the trophy at London’s Outernet on Thursday evening.

The podcast makes a commitment to cut through the noise, using the expertise of The Athletic‘s stacked football newsroom to provide audiences with the inside story of the biggest developments in the game.

“In a very crowded market, this British Podcast Award goes to acknowledge the tireless work the team at The Athletic put themselves through to bring authenticity and authority to our podcasts,” says Ayo.

“It’s rare to see someone like me fronting a football show of this magnitude with such a recognizable brand. I’m incredibly grateful to The Athletic for giving me an opportunity to talk about a sport I love deeply.

“This is a massive award for us and I’m really excited to see where we can take the show, especially with an eye already on the World Cup in the United States in two years.”

Highlights over the last year include Adam Crafton’s exclusive story that Manchester United intended to bring back Mason Greenwood, a special ‘Crisis Clubs’ series on the European sides facing financial peril and an in-depth sit down with Arsenal midfielder Jorginho.

As well as an appreciation to the indefatigable production team that works tirelessly behind the scenes, we must thank our loyal listeners, without whom the podcast simply wouldn’t exist.

You can listen to the show free of charge five days a week, wherever you get your podcasts.