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2025–26 Sunderland A.F.C. season

English football club season From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2025–26 season was the 147th season in the history of Sunderland Association Football Club, and the club's first season back in the Premier League since the 2016–17 campaign, following promotion from the Championship in the preceding season. In addition to the domestic league, the club also participated in the FA Cup and the EFL Cup.

ChairmanKyril Louis-Dreyfus
Head coachRégis Le Bris
StadiumStadium of Light
Premier League7th
Quick facts season, Chairman ...
Sunderland
2025–26 season
ChairmanKyril Louis-Dreyfus
Head coachRégis Le Bris
StadiumStadium of Light
Premier League7th
FA CupFifth round
EFL CupSecond round
Top goalscorerLeague:
Brian Brobbey (7)
All:
Brian Brobbey (7)
Highest home attendance47,257
(v. Crystal Palace, Premier League, 17 January 2026)
Lowest home attendance46,233
(v. West Ham United, Premier League, 16 August 2025)
Average home league attendance46,842
Biggest win3–0 v. West Ham United (H)
Premier League, 16 August 2025
3–0 v. Burnley (H)
Premier League, 2 February 2026
Biggest defeat0–5 v. Nottingham Forest (H)
Premier League, 24 April 2026
Close

Sunderland placed 7th in the Premier League, their domestic league performance granting them a place in the 2026–27 UEFA Europa League, their first qualification for European football since 1973.

Squad

As of 8 September 2025
More information No., Player ...
No. Player Position Nationality Date of birth (age) Previous club Contract end
Goalkeepers
1Anthony PattersonGKEngland (2000-05-10) 10 May 2000 (age 26)Academy30 June 2028
21 Simon MooreGKEngland (1990-05-19) 19 May 1990 (age 36)Coventry City30 June 2026
22Robin RoefsGKNetherlands (2003-01-17) 17 January 2003 (age 23)NEC Nijmegen30 June 2030
Defenders
3Dennis CirkinLBEngland (2002-04-06) 6 April 2002 (age 24)Tottenham Hotspur30 June 2026
5Daniel BallardCBNorthern Ireland (1999-09-22) 22 September 1999 (age 26)Arsenal30 June 2028
6Lutsharel GeertruidaRBNetherlands (2000-07-18) 18 July 2000 (age 26)RB Leipzig30 June 2026 (loan)
13Luke O'NienCBEngland (1994-11-21) 21 November 1994 (age 31)Wycombe Wanderers30 June 2027
15Omar AldereteCBParaguay (1996-12-26) 26 December 1996 (age 29)Getafe30 June 2029
17Reinildo MandavaLBMozambique (1994-01-21) 21 January 1994 (age 32)Atlético Madrid30 June 2027
20Nordi MukieleRBFrance (1997-11-01) 1 November 1997 (age 28)Paris Saint-Germain30 June 2029
26Arthur MasuakuLBDemocratic Republic of the Congo (1993-11-07) 7 November 1993 (age 32)Beşiktaş30 June 2027
32Trai HumeRBNorthern Ireland (2002-03-18) 18 March 2002 (age 24)Linfield30 June 2030
33Leo HjeldeCBNorway (2003-08-26) 26 August 2003 (age 22)Leeds United30 June 2028
41Zak JohnsonCBEngland (2005-05-25) 25 May 2005 (age 21)Academy30 June 2026
42Aji AleseCBEngland (2001-01-17) 17 January 2001 (age 25)West Ham United30 June 2027
Midfielders
4Dan NeilCMEngland (2001-11-30) 30 November 2001 (age 24)Academy30 June 2026
11Chris RiggAMEngland (2007-06-18) 18 June 2007 (age 19)Academy30 June 2030
19Habib DiarraCMSenegal (2004-01-03) 3 January 2004 (age 22)Strasbourg30 June 2030
27Noah SadikiDMDemocratic Republic of the Congo (2002-01-15) 15 January 2002 (age 24)Union Saint-Gilloise30 June 2030
28Enzo Le FéeCMFrance (2000-02-03) 3 February 2000 (age 26)Roma30 June 2029
34Granit Xhaka (c)DMSwitzerland (1992-09-27) 27 September 1992 (age 33)Bayer Leverkusen30 June 2028
50Harrison JonesAMEngland (2004-12-25) 25 December 2004 (age 21)Academy30 June 2026
Forwards
7Chemsdine TalbiRWMorocco (2005-05-09) 9 May 2005 (age 21)Club Brugge30 June 2030
9Brian BrobbeySTNetherlands (2002-02-01) 1 February 2002 (age 24)Ajax30 June 2030
12Eliezer MayendaSTSpain (2005-05-08) 8 May 2005 (age 21)Sochaux30 June 2030
14Romaine MundleLWEngland (2003-04-24) 24 April 2003 (age 23)Standard Liège30 June 2028
18Wilson IsidorSTHaiti (2000-08-27) 27 August 2000 (age 25)Zenit Saint Petersburg30 June 2028
24Simon AdingraLWIvory Coast (2002-01-01) 1 January 2002 (age 24)Brighton & Hove Albion30 June 2030
25Bertrand TraoréRWBurkina Faso (1995-09-06) 6 September 1995 (age 30)Ajax30 June 2026
29Ahmed AbdullahiSTNigeria (2004-06-19) 19 June 2004 (age 22)Gent30 June 2028
37Jocelin Ta BiRWIvory Coast (2005-02-09) 9 February 2005 (age 21)Maccabi Netanya30 June 2030
Out on loan
2Niall HugginsRBWales (2000-12-18) 18 December 2000 (age 25)Leeds United30 June 2026
23Jenson SeeltCBNetherlands (2003-05-23) 23 May 2003 (age 23)PSV Eindhoven30 June 2028
8Alan BrowneCMRepublic of Ireland (1995-04-15) 15 April 1995 (age 31)Preston North End30 June 2027
30Milan AleksićAMSerbia (2005-08-30) 30 August 2005 (age 20)Radnički 192330 June 2028
10Patrick RobertsRWEngland (1997-02-05) 5 February 1997 (age 29)Manchester City30 June 2026
47Trey Samuel-OgunsuyiSTBelgium (2006-12-26) 26 December 2006 (age 19)Academy30 June 2028
Recalled from loan
9Marc GuiuSTSpain (2006-01-04) 4 January 2006 (age 20)Chelsea30 June 2026 (loan)
Close

Transfers

In

More information Date, Pos. ...
Date Pos. Player From Fee Ref.
1 July 2025[a]CMFrance Enzo Le FéeItaly Roma£19,300,000[1]
1 July 2025 CMSenegal Habib Diarra France Strasbourg £30,000,000 [2]
2 July 2025 CMNorthern Ireland Matthew Burns Northern Ireland Coleraine Undisclosed [3]
4 July 2025CMDemocratic Republic of the Congo Noah SadikiBelgium Union Saint-Gilloise£17,500,000[4][5]
8 July 2025LBMozambique Reinildo MandavaSpain Atlético MadridFree[6][7]
9 July 2025RWMorocco Chemsdine TalbiBelgium Club Brugge£19,500,000[8][9]
10 July 2025LWIvory Coast Simon AdingraEngland Brighton & Hove Albion£21,000,000[10][11]
19 July 2025GKEngland Isaac AllanEngland Lincoln CityFree[12]
30 July 2025CMSwitzerland Granit XhakaGermany Bayer Leverkusen£17,300,000[13]
1 August 2025GKNetherlands Robin RoefsNetherlands NEC Nijmegen£11,500,000[14]
10 August 2025LBDemocratic Republic of the Congo Arthur MasuakuTurkey BeşiktaşFree[15]
12 August 2025CBParaguay Omar AldereteSpain Getafe£10,400,000[16][17]
17 August 2025RBFrance Nordi MukieleFrance Paris Saint-Germain£12,000,000[18][19]
1 September 2025STNetherlands Brian BrobbeyNetherlands Ajax£21,300,000[20]
1 September 2025RWBurkina Faso Bertrand TraoréNetherlands Ajax£2,500,000[21]
16 January 2026RWIvory Coast Jocelin Ta BiIsrael Maccabi Netanya£3,500,000
1 February 2026GKSweden Melker EllborgSweden Malmö FF£3,000,000[22][23]
2 February 2026LWEcuador Nilson AnguloBelgium Anderlecht£15,000,000[b][24][25]
Close
Expenditure: Decrease £203,800,000
  1. [a]
    The transfer was announced on 3 June, and became official on 1 July.
  2. [b]
    Additional potential £2,500,000 in performance-related add-ons.

Out

More information Date, Pos. ...
Date Pos. Player To Fee Ref.
1 June 2025[a]LWEngland Tom WatsonEngland Brighton & Hove Albion£11,000,000[b][26]
10 June 2025CMEngland Jobe BellinghamGermany Borussia Dortmund£32,000,000[c][27][28]
1 July 2025GKEngland Nathan BishopEngland AFC WimbledonUndisclosed[29]
14 August 2025DMFrance Pierre EkwahFrance Saint-Étienne£6,000,000[30]
22 August 2025CBAustralia Nectarios TriantisUnited States Minnesota United£2,200,000[31]
9 January 2026CMEngland Jay MateteEngland Milton Keynes DonsUndisclosed[32]
13 January 2026CMEngland Ben MiddlemasEngland Swindon Town[33]
15 January 2026CBEngland Joe AndersonEngland Barrow[34]
17 January 2026GKCameroon Blondy Nna NoukeuFrance Boulogne[35]
2 February 2026AMFrance Adil AouchicheGermany Schalke 04Undisclosed[36]
RWEngland Patrick RobertsEngland Birmingham CityUndisclosed[37]
3 March 2026 AM Colombia Ian Poveda Colombia Internacional de Bogotá Undisclosed [38]
Close
Income Increase £51,200,000 (not inc. undisclosed transfers)
  1. [a]
    The transfer was announced on 1 April, and became official on 1 June.
  2. [b]
    Included a 20% sell-on clause
  3. [c]
    Included a 15% sell-on clause.

Loans in

More information Date, Pos. ...
Date Pos. Player From Date until Ref.
6 August 2025STSpain Marc GuiuEngland Chelsea1 September 2025[a][39][40]
1 September 2025RBNetherlands Lutsharel GeertruidaGermany RB Leipzig30 June 2026[b][41]
Close
  1. [a]
    Initial loan was until 30 June 2026, however, on 1 September, Guiu was recalled back to his parent club, Chelsea.
  2. [b]
    Initial loan fee of £2,500,000 with an option for a permanent transfer for a further fee of £18,000,000.

Loans out

More information Date, Pos. ...
Date Pos. Player To Date until Ref.
6 July 2025AMFrance Adil AouchicheScotland Aberdeen2 February 2026[a][42][36]
24 July 2025GKEngland Matty YoungEngland Salford City31 May 2026[43]
13 August 2025RBEngland Tom LaveryNorthern Ireland Cliftonville6 January 2026[b][44][45]
15 August 2025LWNorthern Ireland Rhys WalshEngland South Shields12 September 2025[46]
19 August 2025GKEngland Dan CameronEngland Hebburn Town16 September 2025[47]
27 August 2025STPortugal Luís SemedoPortugal Moreirense31 May 2026[c][48]
30 August 2025STBelgium Trey Samuel-OgunsuyiScotland Falkirk6 January 2026[d][49][45]
1 September 2025LBEngland Oliver BainbridgeEngland South Shields31 May 2026[e][50][51]
CMRepublic of Ireland Alan BrowneEngland Middlesbrough31 May 2026[52]
RBWales Niall HugginsEngland Wycombe Wanderers[53]
RWEngland Patrick RobertsEngland Birmingham City2 February 2026[f][54][37]
CBNetherlands Jenson SeeltGermany VfL Wolfsburg31 May 2026[55]
2 September 2025STUkraine Nazariy RusynPoland Arka Gdynia[56]
5 September 2025CMSerbia Milan AleksićPoland Cracovia25 January 2026[g][57][58]
28 November 2025CBEngland Zak JohnsonEngland York City31 May 2026[h][59][51]
6 January 2026RBFrance Timothée PembéléFrance Le Havre31 May 2026[60]
9 January 2026STBelgium Trey Samuel-OgunsuyiEngland Shrewsbury Town[61]
STEngland Jake WatersEngland Spennymoor Town7 February 2026[51]
16 January 2026LWUkraine Timur TutierovEngland Exeter City31 May 2026[62]
23 January 2026GKEngland Isaac AllanEngland Whitby Town3 March 2026[i][63][64]
RBEngland Tom LaveryEngland FC Halifax Town31 May 2026[63]
RWEngland Ethan MooreEngland Gateshead[63]
27 January 2026LBDemocratic Republic of the Congo Arthur MasuakuFrance Lens[65]
27 January 2026CMEngland Dan NeilEngland Ipswich Town[66]
29 January 2026CBEngland Aji AleseEngland Portsmouth[67]
1 February 2026GKEngland Anthony PattersonEngland Millwall[68]
2 February 2026LWIvory Coast Simon AdingraFrance Monaco31 May 2026[c][69]
CBNorway Leo HjeldeEngland Sheffield United31 May 2026[70]
3 March 2026GKEngland Isaac AllanEngland Hebburn Town[64]
GKEngland Dan CameronEngland Boston United[64]
STEngland Jake WatersEngland Hebburn Town[64]
Close
  1. [a]
    On 2 February, Aouchiche was recalled back from his initial season-long loan at Aberdeen and subsequently signed for Schalke 04.
  2. [b]
    On 6 January, Lavery was recalled back from his initial season-long loan at Cliftonville.
  3. [c]
    Included an option to make the transfer permanent for an undisclosed fee.
  4. [d]
    On 6 January, Samuel-Ogunsuyi was recalled back from his initial season-long loan at Falkirk.
  5. [e]
    On 9 January, Bainbridge's loan at South Shields was extended until the end of the season.
  6. [f]
    On 2 February, Roberts joined Birmingham City permanently.
  7. [g]
    On 25 January, Aleksić was recalled back from his initial season-long loan at Cracovia.
  8. [h]
    On 9 January, Johnson's loan at York City was extended until the end of the season.
  9. [i]
    On 3 March, Allan was recalled back from his loan at Whitby Town and subsequently joined Hebburn Town on loan.

Released / Out of contract

More information Date, Pos. ...
Date Pos. Player Subsequent club Join date Ref.
30 June 2025GKEngland Kelechi ChibuezeRetired[71]
RWEngland Aaron ChunghEngland Morpeth Town19 August 2025[71][72]
CBEngland Ben CromptonScotland Ross County1 July 2025[a][71][73]
AMEngland Caden KellyEngland South Shields1 July 2025[b][71][74]
CMBangladesh Cuba MitchellBangladesh Bashundhara Kings28 July 2025[c][71]
CBEngland Daniel Parker[71]
Close
  1. [a]
    The transfer was announced on 19 June, and became official on 1 July.
  2. [b]
    The transfer was announced on 23 June, and became official on 1 July.
  3. [c]
    The transfer was announced on 28 July, and became official on 10 August.

New contracts

More information Date, Pos. ...
Date Pos. Player Contract expiry Ref.
First team
7 August 2025STSpain Eliezer Mayenda30 June 2030[75]
13 August 2025RBNorthern Ireland Trai Hume30 June 2030[76]
14 August 2025CBEngland Luke O'Nien30 June 2027[77]
28 August 2025AMEngland Chris Rigg30 June 2030[78]
1 March 2026CBNorthern Ireland Daniel Ballard30 June 2029[a][79]
Academy
7 July 2025CMEngland Jaydon JonesUndisclosed[b][80]
7 July 2025AMEngland Jack WhittakerUndisclosed[b][80]
8 July 2025CBEngland Ben KindonUndisclosed[b][81]
8 July 2025GKNorthern Ireland Ben MetcalfUndisclosed[b][81]
13 August 2025STBelgium Trey Samuel-Ogunsuyi30 June 2028[82]
21 May 2026GKEngland Matty Young30 June 2030[83]
Close
  1. [a]
    Club option of an additional year.
  2. [b]
    First professional contract.

Pre-season and friendlies

On 7 June, Sunderland announced their initial pre-season schedule, with matches against Gateshead, South Shields, Heart of Midlothian, Hull City and Real Betis.[84] A training camp in Algarve was confirmed along with a friendlies against Sporting CP and Sevilla.[85][86] The final two fixtures of Sunderland's pre-season schedule are against FC Augsburg and Rayo Vallecano.[87]

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

12 July 2025 Friendly Gateshead 2–2 Sunderland Gateshead
12:30 BST Report Stadium: Gateshead International Stadium
12 July 2025 Friendly South Shields 0–4 Sunderland Jarrow
16:00 BST Report
Stadium: 1st Cloud Arena
19 July 2025 Friendly Sevilla 1–1 Sunderland Faro-Loulé, Portugal
20:00 WEST
Report
Stadium: Estádio Algarve
21 July 2025 Friendly Sporting CP 1–0 Sunderland Faro-Loulé, Portugal
20:00 WEST
Stadium: Estádio Algarve
26 July 2025 Friendly Heart of Midlothian 3–0 Sunderland Edinburgh, Scotland
15:00 BST
Report Stadium: Tynecastle Park
Note: Testimonial match for Craig Gordon.
29 July 2025 Friendly Hull City 2–1 Sunderland Kingston upon Hull
19:45 BST
Report
Stadium: MKM Stadium
2 August 2025 Friendly Sunderland 0–1 Real Betis Sunderland
15:00 BST Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
9 August 2025 Friendly FC Augsburg 0–1 Sunderland Augsburg, Germany
14:00 BST Report
Stadium: Augsburg Arena
10 August 2025 Friendly Sunderland 0–3 Rayo Vallecano Sunderland
16:30 BST Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light

Competitions

Overall record

More information Competition, First match ...
Competition First match Last match Starting round Final position Record
Pld W D L GF GA GD Win %
Premier League 16 August 2025 24 May 2026 Matchday 1 7th 38 14 12 12 42 48 −6 036.84
FA Cup 10 January 2026 8 March 2026 Third round Fifth round 3 1 1 1 2 2 +0 033.33
EFL Cup 26 August 2025 Second round Second round 1 0 1 0 1 1 +0 000.00
Total 42 15 14 13 45 51 −6 035.71
Close

Source: Soccerway

Premier League

Main article: 2025–26 Premier League

League table

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
5 Liverpool 38 17 9 12 63 53 +10 60 Qualification for the Champions League league phase[a]
6 Bournemouth 38 13 18 7 58 54 +4 57 Qualification for the Europa League league phase[b]
7 Sunderland 38 14 12 12 42 48 −6 54
8 Brighton & Hove Albion 38 14 11 13 52 46 +6 53 Qualification for the Conference League play-off round[b]
9 Brentford 38 14 11 13 55 52 +3 53
Close
Source: Premier League
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) If the champions, relegated teams or qualified teams for UEFA competitions cannot be determined by rules 1 to 3, rules 4.1 to 4.3 are applied – 4.1) Points gained in head-to-head record between such teams; 4.2) Away goals scored in head-to-head record between such teams; 4.3) Play-offs[89]
Notes:
  1. [a]
    The Premier League gained an additional Champions League place as a result of England gaining one of the two European Performance Spots (EPS) awarded to the two associations with the highest UEFA coefficient points in 2025–26.[88]
  2. [b]
    Since the winners of the 2025–26 FA Cup and 2025–26 EFL Cup, Manchester City, qualified for the Champions League by league position, the spot reserved for the FA Cup winners (Europa League league phase) was passed to the seventh-placed team, and the spot reserved for the EFL Cup winners (Conference League play-off round) was passed to the eighth-placed team.

Results summary

More information Overall, Home ...
OverallHomeAway
PldWDLGFGAGDPtsWDLGFGAGDWDLGFGAGD
38 14 12 12 42 48  −6 54 9 6 4 25 20  +5 5 6 8 17 28  −11
Close

Source: Soccerway

Results by round

More information Round, Ground ...
Round1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829303132333435363738
GroundHAHAHAAHAHHAHAAHAHHAAHAHAHHAAHAHAHAHAH
ResultWLWDDWLWWDDLWDLWDDDDLWLWLLLDWLWWLLDDWW
Position2767759744476698677810911891112121113111011121212107
Points33678111114171819192223232627282930303333363636363740404346464647485154
Close
Source: Premier League
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss; P = Postponed

Matches

The league fixtures were released on 18 June 2025.[90][91]

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

16 August 2025 1 Sunderland 3–0 West Ham United Sunderland
15:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 46,233
Referee: Robert Jones
23 August 2025 2 Burnley 2–0 Sunderland Burnley
15:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Turf Moor
Attendance: 21,285
Referee: Michael Salisbury
30 August 2025 3 Sunderland 2–1 Brentford Sunderland
15:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 46,267
Referee: Anthony Taylor
13 September 2025 4 Crystal Palace 0–0 Sunderland Selhurst
15:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Selhurst Park
Attendance: 25,154
Referee: Thomas Bramall
21 September 2025 5 Sunderland 1–1 Aston Villa Sunderland
14:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 46,261
Referee: Sam Barrott
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for 20 September, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[92]
27 September 2025 6 Nottingham Forest 0–1 Sunderland West Bridgford
17:30 BST
Report
Stadium: City Ground
Attendance: 30,226
Referee: Tony Harrington
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for a 15:00 kick-off, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[92]
4 October 2025 7 Manchester United 2–0 Sunderland Trafford
15:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Old Trafford
Attendance: 74,004
Referee: Stuart Attwell
18 October 2025 8 Sunderland 2–0 Wolverhampton Wanderers Sunderland
15:00 BST
Report Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 46,578
Referee: Robert Jones
25 October 2025 9 Chelsea 1–2 Sunderland Fulham
15:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Stamford Bridge
Attendance: 39,489
Referee: Andrew Madley
3 November 2025 10 Sunderland 1–1 Everton Sunderland
20:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 46,476
Referee: Thomas Bramall
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for 1 November, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[93]
8 November 2025 11 Sunderland 2–2 Arsenal Sunderland
17:30 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 46,799
Referee: Craig Pawson
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for a 15:00 kick-off, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[93]
22 November 2025 12 Fulham 1–0 Sunderland Fulham
15:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Craven Cottage
Attendance: 27,560
Referee: Darren England
29 November 2025 13 Sunderland 3–2 Bournemouth Sunderland
15:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 46,973
Referee: Tim Robinson
3 December 2025 14 Liverpool 1–1 Sunderland Liverpool
20:15 GMT
Report
Stadium: Anfield
Attendance: 60,414
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for a 20:00 kick-off, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[94]
6 December 2025 15 Manchester City 3–0 Sunderland Manchester
15:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: City of Manchester Stadium
Attendance: 52,436
Referee: Andrew Madley
14 December 2025 16 Sunderland 1–0 Newcastle United Sunderland
14:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 47,158
Referee: Peter Bankes
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for 13 December, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[94]
20 December 2025 17 Brighton & Hove Albion 0–0 Sunderland Brighton and Hove
15:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Falmer Stadium
Attendance: 31,426
Referee: Darren England
28 December 2025 18 Sunderland 1–1 Leeds United Sunderland
14:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 46,675
Referee: Tony Harrington
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for 27 December, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[95]
1 January 2026 19 Sunderland 0–0 Manchester City Sunderland
20:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 46,920
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for 30 December, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[95]
4 January 2026 20 Tottenham Hotspur 1–1 Sunderland Tottenham
15:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Tottenham Hotspur Stadium
Attendance: 60,877
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for 3 January, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[95]
7 January 2026 21 Brentford 3–0 Sunderland Brentford
19:30 GMT
Report
Stadium: Brentford Community Stadium
Attendance: 17,016
Referee: Matt Donohue
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for a 20:00 kick-off, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[95]
17 January 2026 22 Sunderland 2–1 Crystal Palace Sunderland
15:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 47,257
Referee: Robert Jones
24 January 2026 23 West Ham United 3–1 Sunderland Stratford
12:30 GMT
Report
Stadium: London Stadium
Attendance: 62,456
Referee: Thomas Bramall
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for a 15:00 kick-off, but was moved for live TNT Sports broadcast.[96]
2 February 2026 24 Sunderland 3–0 Burnley Sunderland
20:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 46,370
Referee: Paul Tierney
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for 31 January, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[96]
7 February 2026 25 Arsenal 3–0 Sunderland Holloway
15:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Emirates Stadium
Attendance: 60,312
Referee: Sam Barrott
11 February 2026 26 Sunderland 0–1 Liverpool Sunderland
20:15 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 47,159
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for a 19:45 kick-off, but was moved for live TNT Sports broadcast.[97]
22 February 2026 27 Sunderland 1–3 Fulham Sunderland
14:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 47,222
Referee: Craig Pawson
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for 21 February, but was moved for live Sky Sports broadcast.[97]
28 February 2026 28 Bournemouth 1–1 Sunderland Bournemouth
12:30 GMT
Report
Stadium: Dean Court
Attendance: 11,240
Referee: Jarred Gillett
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for a 15:00 kick-off, but was moved for live TNT Sports broadcast.[97]
3 March 2026 29 Leeds United 0–1 Sunderland Leeds
19:30 GMT
Report
Stadium: Elland Road
Attendance: 36,713
Referee: Stuart Attwell
Note: Fixture was originally scheduled for 4 March, but was rescheduled for live TNT Sports broadcasting.[98]
14 March 2026 30 Sunderland 0–1 Brighton & Hove Albion Sunderland
15:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 47,197
Referee: Thomas Kirk
22 March 2026 31 Newcastle United 1–2 Sunderland Newcastle upon Tyne
12:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: St James' Park
Attendance: 52,253
Referee: Anthony Taylor
Note: Fixture was originally scheduled for 21 March, but was rescheduled for live Sky Sports broadcasting.[98]
12 April 2026 32 Sunderland 1–0 Tottenham Hotspur Sunderland
14:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 47,010
Referee: Robert Jones
Note: Fixture was originally scheduled for 11 April, but was rescheduled for live Sky Sports broadcasting.[99]
19 April 2026 33 Aston Villa 4–3 Sunderland Birmingham
14:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Villa Park
Attendance: 42,599
Referee: Sam Barrott
Note: Fixture was initially scheduled for 18 April, but was pushed back a day due to Villa's UEFA Europa League involvements on the preceding Thursday.[100]
24 April 2026 34 Sunderland 0–5 Nottingham Forest Sunderland
20:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 47,047
Referee: Darren England
Note: Fixture was originally scheduled for 25 April, but was rescheduled for live Sky Sports broadcasting.[99]
2 May 2026 35 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1–1 Sunderland Wolverhampton
15:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Molineux Stadium
Attendance: 29,632
Referee: Paul Tierney
9 May 2026 36 Sunderland 0–0 Manchester United Sunderland
15:00 BST Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 47,233
Referee: Stuart Attwell
17 May 2026 37 Everton 1–3 Sunderland Liverpool
15:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Hill Dickinson Stadium
Attendance: 52,590
Referee: John Brooks
24 May 2026 38 Sunderland 2–1 Chelsea Sunderland
16:00 BST
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 47,155
Referee: Chris Kavanagh

FA Cup

Main article: 2025–26 FA Cup

As a Premier League side, Sunderland entered the FA Cup in the third round, and were drawn away to Premier League club Everton.[101][102] They were then drawn away to Oxford United in the fourth round,[103][104] and away to Port Vale in the fifth round.[105][106]

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

10 January 2026 Third round Everton 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(0–3 p)		 Sunderland Liverpool
12:15 GMT
Report
Stadium: Hill Dickinson Stadium
Attendance: 51,588
Referee: John Brooks
Penalties
15 February 2026 Fourth round Oxford United 0–1 Sunderland Oxford
14:00 GMT
Report
Stadium: Kassam Stadium
Attendance: 9,879
Referee: Thomas Kirk
8 March 2026 Fifth round Port Vale 1–0 Sunderland Stoke-on-Trent
13:30 GMT
Report
Stadium: Vale Park
Attendance: 10,685
Referee: Anthony Taylor

EFL Cup

Main article: 2025–26 EFL Cup

As one of the Premier League clubs not participating in European competitions, Sunderland entered the EFL Cup in the second round, and were drawn at home to League One side Huddersfield Town.[107][108]

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

26 August 2025 Second round Sunderland 1–1
(5–6 p)		 Huddersfield Town Sunderland
19:45 BST
Report
Stadium: Stadium of Light
Attendance: 22,249
Referee: Dean Whitestone
Penalties

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Players with no appearances are not included on the list, italics indicate a loaned in player

More information No., Pos ...
No. Pos Nat Player TotalPremier LeagueFA CupEFL Cup
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
3 DF England ENG Dennis Cirkin 1003+502+000+00
5 DF Northern Ireland NIR Daniel Ballard 31224+521+100+00
6 DF Netherlands NED Lutsharel Geertruida 30017+1102+000+00
7 FW Morocco MAR Chemsdine Talbi 30416+1242+000+00
9 FW Netherlands NED Brian Brobbey 32722+970+100+00
10 FW Ecuador ECU Nilson Angulo 905+301+000+00
11 MF England ENG Chris Rigg 20111+711+001+00
12 FW Spain ESP Eliezer Mayenda 2328+1222+100+00
13 DF England ENG Luke O'Nien 1505+703+000+00
14 FW England ENG Romaine Mundle 1602+1202+000+00
15 DF Paraguay PAR Omar Alderete 34132+111+000+00
17 DF Mozambique MOZ Reinildo Mandava 25023+200+000+00
18 FW Haiti HAI Wilson Isidor 36611+2161+201+00
19 MF Senegal SEN Habib Diarra 22315+522+010+00
20 DF France FRA Nordi Mukiele 35332+032+001+00
22 GK Netherlands NED Robin Roefs 37035+002+000+00
25 FW Burkina Faso BFA Bertrand Traoré 1219+310+000+00
27 MF Democratic Republic of the Congo COD Noah Sadiki 35033+001+100+00
28 MF France FRA Enzo Le Fée 40633+353+011+00
30 MF Serbia SRB Milan Aleksić 100+000+000+10
31 GK Sweden SWE Melker Ellborg 403+001+000+00
32 DF Northern Ireland NIR Trai Hume 40234+422+000+00
34 MF Switzerland SUI Granit Xhaka 36132+211+100+00
37 FW Ivory Coast CIV Jocelin Ta Bi 201+000+100+00
50 MF England ENG Harrison Jones 100+000+001+00
51 DF England ENG Jenson Jones 100+000+000+10
Player(s) who featured but departed the club on loan during the season:
1 GK England ENG Anthony Patterson 100+000+001+00
2 DF Wales WAL Niall Huggins 100+000+001+00
4 MF England ENG Dan Neil 400+300+001+00
23 DF Netherlands NED Jenson Seelt 301+100+000+10
24 FW Ivory Coast CIV Simon Adingra 1519+511+000+00
26 DF Democratic Republic of the Congo COD Arthur Masuaku 402+100+001+00
Player(s) who featured whilst on loan but returned to parent club during the season:
9 FW Spain ESP Marc Guiu 310+200+001+01
Player(s) who featured but departed the club permanently during the season:
10 FW England ENG Patrick Roberts 200+100+001+00
Close

Disciplinary record

Includes all competitive matches. The list is sorted by squad number when disciplinary points / points per card / number of cards are equal. Players with no cards not included in the list.

More information Rank, No. ...
Rank No. Pos. Nat. Player Premier League FA Cup EFL Cup Total
Yellow cardSecond yellow cardRed cardYellow cardSecond yellow cardRed cardYellow cardSecond yellow cardRed cardYellow cardSecond yellow cardRed card
1 27MFDemocratic Republic of the CongoNoah Sadiki9002000001100
32DFNorthern IrelandTrai Hume9002000001100
3 17DFMozambiqueReinildo Mandava701000000701
4 34MFSwitzerlandGranit Xhaka800100000900
5 5DFNorthern IrelandDaniel Ballard401100000501
6 9FWNetherlandsBrian Brobbey600000000600
15DFParaguayOmar Alderete600000000600
19MFSenegalHabib Diarra600000000600
20DFFranceNordi Mukiele500100000600
28MFFranceEnzo Le Fée500100000600
11 13DFEnglandLuke O'Nien101100000201
12 22GKNetherlandsRobin Roefs400000000400
13 18FWHaitiWilson Isidor200100000300
14 3DFEnglandDennis Cirkin200000000200
6DFNetherlandsLutsharel Geertruida200000000200
24FWIvory CoastSimon Adingra200000000200
26DFDemocratic Republic of the CongoArthur Masuaku100000100200
18 4DFEnglandDan Neil000000100100
10FWEcuadorNilson Angulo100000000100
11MFEnglandChris Rigg100000000100
14FWEnglandRomaine Mundle100000000100
25FWBurkina FasoBertrand Traoré100000000100
31GKSwedenMelker Ellborg000100000100
Total 8303 1100 200 9603
Close

Notes

References

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