Sunderland AFC’s upcoming fixtures for the remainder of the 2025/26 Premier League season include key home clashes at the Stadium of Light against Tottenham Hotspur (April 12), Nottingham Forest (April 24), and Manchester United (May 9). The Black Cats also face critical away trips to Aston Villa, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Everton before concluding their campaign at home against Chelsea on May 24, 2026. Under the management of Régis Le Bris, Sunderland has maintained a strong mid-table position, currently sitting 11th in the league. This guide provides the complete match schedule, kickoff times, ticket pricing details, and essential travel information for fans planning to visit the Stadium of Light or follow the team on the road during the final months of the season.
Remaining 2025/26 Premier League Fixtures
Sunderland enters the final stretch of the season with a mix of high-profile home games and challenging away fixtures. The schedule is subject to change based on television broadcasting requirements, with several matches in April and May likely to be shifted for Sky Sports or TNT Sports coverage. Fans are encouraged to check official club channels regularly for final confirmation of kickoff times.
The month of May is particularly demanding, featuring back-to-back fixtures against traditional “Big Six” opponents. The penultimate home game against Manchester United is expected to be one of the highest-attended matches of the season, followed by a season finale against Chelsea that could have significant implications for European qualification spots or final league standings.
April 2026 Match Schedule
- Sunderland vs Tottenham Hotspur: Sunday, April 12, 18:30 IST (Stadium of Light)
- Aston Villa vs Sunderland: Sunday, April 19, 18:30 IST (Villa Park)
- Sunderland vs Nottingham Forest: Friday, April 24, 20:00 BST (Stadium of Light)
May 2026 Match Schedule
- Wolves vs Sunderland: Saturday, May 2, 15:00 BST (Molineux)
- Sunderland vs Manchester United: Saturday, May 9, 15:00 BST (Stadium of Light)
- Everton vs Sunderland: Sunday, May 17, 15:00 BST (Goodison Park)
- Sunderland vs Chelsea: Sunday, May 24, 16:00 BST (Stadium of Light)
Ticket Prices and Categories
Tickets for Sunderland home fixtures are divided into several price zones across the Stadium of Light. Standard adult tickets typically start from £36 for “Category B” fixtures, while high-demand games against teams like Manchester United or Chelsea often carry premium pricing. The club also offers concessions for seniors over 65, young adults under 22, and juniors.
For the 2025/26 season, the club has moved primarily to digital ticketing. Supporters can purchase tickets through the official SAFC website, where they are issued as e-tickets compatible with Apple and Google Wallets. “1888” and “Premium” hospitality seats are also available for fans seeking a more luxurious matchday experience, including lounge access and pre-match dining.
Standard Ticket Price Breakdown
- Adults: £36 – £47
- Over 65s: £29 – £31
- Under 22s: £25 – £29
- Under 18s: £18 – £22
- Under 14s: £13.50 – £16
Practical Information and Planning
Attending a match at the Stadium of Light requires some forward planning, especially for the high-capacity games scheduled for the end of the season. The stadium typically opens its turnstiles 90 minutes before kickoff, allowing fans to enjoy the concourse facilities and the Fan Zone located near the North Stand.
Stadium Entry and Timing
Fans should aim to arrive at least 45 minutes before kickoff to clear security checks. The stadium has a strict bag policy; only small bags (A4 size or smaller) are permitted inside the seating bowl. Large backpacks and luggage are not allowed, and there are limited storage facilities nearby.
Travel and Transport
Sunderland is well-connected by rail and metro. The Stadium of Light and St. Peter’s stations are the closest Metro stops, both within a 10-minute walk of the ground. For those traveling from outside the city, Sunderland Central Station provides direct links to London King’s Cross, York, and Newcastle.
Sunderland 2025–26 Premier League fixtures
Sunderland’s 2025–26 Premier League calendar runs from mid‑August 2025 to late‑May 2026, with a mix of weekend (typically 3:00 pm) and mid‑week evening (around 8:00 pm) kick‑offs, including several games moved for television and European‑competition‑scheduling. The club plays each of the other 19 Premier League sides twice—once at home and once away—giving them 38 league matches, with additional fixtures in the FA Cup and Carabao Cup forming school‑holiday‑style clusters later in the season. The pattern is what fans expect: short‑turn‑fixture‑blocks in December and early‑spring, followed by a final‑run‑of‑games in April and May that can decide survival, top‑half‑status, or European‑style‑qualification.
The season‑opener at the Stadium of Light on 16 August 2025 (3:00 pm) against West Ham is a key early‑benchmark, as newly promoted‑sides often use this kind of home to build confidence and momentum. The following weekend, Sunderland travel to Burnley at Turf Moor on 23 August 2025 (3:00 pm), facing another freshly‑promoted‑team, creating a mini two‑game‑assessment of the Black Cats’ readiness for the top‑flight grind. These fixtures set the tone for the whole campaign, with a strong‑start‑can‑build‑into‑mid‑season‑form and a poor‑start‑require‑a late‑season‑comeback.
Key home and away dates
At the Stadium of Light, Sunderland host a cross‑section of Premier League‑heavyweights and mid‑table‑sides including West Ham, Brentford, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea, among others. The club’s first‑home‑fixtures‑cluster includes matches such as:
- West Ham (16 August 2025, 3:00 pm) – season‑opener, full‑stadium‑atmosphere, high‑expectations.
- Brentford (30 August 2025, 3:00 pm) – early‑chance to test defensive‑shape against a possession‑heavy‑opponent.
- Manchester City (30 December 2025, 3:00 pm) – festive‑period‑highlight after the away‑leg at the Etihad.
On the road, Sunderland’s away‑fixture itinerary spans the country, with trips to London, Merseyside, Manchester, the Midlands, and the North‑East, creating a compact‑home‑away‑rotation. The return‑ery to Turf Moor to face Burnley on 1 November 2025 (8:30 pm), for example, comes in a mid‑week‑kick‑off, while the reverse‑North‑East‑clash at St James’ Park to play Newcastle United on 13 December 2025 (12:30 pm) is a traditional early‑afternoon TV‑fixture, with the Tyne‑Wear‑derby‑return at the Stadium of Light set for another Premier‑League‑round‑block later in the season.
Fixture‑clusters and peak‑blocks
The 2025–26 schedule for Sunderland features several tight‑fixture‑clusters where the club plays multiple games in a short window, especially around the festive‑period, international‑breaks, and end‑of‑season run‑in. For example, the club’s schedule for December 2025 includes:
- Manchester City (away, 6 December 2025, 8:00 pm)
- Newcastle United (away, 13 December 2025, 12:30 pm)
- Manchester City (home, 30 December 2025, 3:00 pm)
This sequence of three demanding‑games in under a month forces the squad to rotate, manage injuries, and balance league‑status with the need to stay fresh for cup‑runs. The club’s final‑run‑of‑fixtures in April and May 2026 also provide a steep‑tester: potential games against Manchester United, Everton, Chelsea, and Tottenham could all have a bearing on survival or top‑half‑classification, depending on where the team sits in the table at that stage.
Tyne‑Wear derby and North‑East fixtures
Among the most important entries in the 2025–26 Sunderland fixtures list are the Tyne‑Wear derby against Newcastle United and the local‑derby‑style‑match against Middlesbrough, though the latter is only included if both clubs remain in the top‑flight, which is not guaranteed given the 2025–26 structure. The primary‑North‑East‑confrontation is the Sunderland vs Newcastle United clash, traditionally split between St James’ Park (away) and Stadium of Light (home), with the 2025–26 season‑pairing‑mapped so that the away‑leg comes at 13 December 2025 (12:30 pm) and the home‑return appears later in the campaign, subject to TV‑re‑scheduling.
These derby‑games carry extra‑weight because they are not just about points; they also define local bragging‑rights, fan‑mood, and psychological‑edge for the rest of the season. The atmosphere at the Stadium of Light on derby‑day is typically one of the most intense of the year, with the entire stand often singing in unison and creating a wall‑of‑sound that can unnerve visiting players. The away‑leg at St James’ Park is similarly charged, with the long‑rivalry‑history between the two clubs producing a confrontational‑but‑structured‑match‑environment, under heavy‑police and security‑oversight.
Festive‑period and mid‑season derbies
The 13 December 2025 Tyne‑Wear derby at St James’ Park (12:30 pm) falls in the traditional early‑December‑TV‑window, one of the most‑watched‑Saturday‑afternoons of the season outside the very‑big‑clubs‑contests. The club‑and‑league‑authorities usually schedule these fixtures for daytime‑kick‑offs because of the logistical demands of managing large‑travelling‑support‑contingents and the need for safe‑travel‑windows before and after the game. The return‑fixture at the Stadium of Light, when it comes in the 2025–26 cycle, is likely to be placed in a similar prime‑TV‑slot, often on a Saturday afternoon or Sunday early‑afternoon, again to maximise broadcasting‑value and fan‑safety.
Beyond the Newcastle‑clash, the 2025–26 season‑list also includes a potential Middlesbrough‑style‑Northeast‑derby, which would be played at the Stadium of Light if Middlesbrough qualify for the Premier League, or at a neutral‑venue if one club drops down the pyramid. These fixtures are eagerly anticipated not just by the 25,000+‑strong‑support‑bases but also by neutral‑viewers who enjoy the high‑intensity, physical‑style‑play typical of North‑East‑football. The fixture‑calendar around these games often sees shorter‑breaks between matches, with gangs of supporters planning weekend‑trips that combine the derby‑with‑other‑local‑sightseeing activities, adding an extra‑commercial‑boost to the host‑city.
Domestic‑cup fixtures: FA Cup and Carabao Cup
Alongside the Premier League campaign, Sunderland’s 2025–26 schedule includes entries in the FA Cup and the Carabao Cup, both of which can add a dozen‑plus‑additional‑games to the season‑total. The Carabao Cup (EFL Cup) usually begins in August, with early‑round ties played mid‑week, and the club progresses through the competition if results allow; the competition does not overlap heavily with the league‑early‑season‑window, but later‑round‑matches in October and November can create short‑turn‑fixture‑blocks. The FA Cup, by contrast, starts in the early‑spring‑window, with early‑round‑ties often scheduled in January or February, depending on the competition‑structure, and the club’s entry into the main‑stage‑knockout‑rounds typically comes after the group‑stage‑phase of the Carabao‑Cup.
Sunderland’s Carabao‑Cup‑fixtures are likely to be held at the Stadium of Light in the early‑rounds, especially against lower‑league opposition, though the club can be sent on the road in later rounds to ensure geographical balance. The FA‑Cup‑draw‑mechanism means that the Black Cats can be drawn at home or away against Premier‑League‑rivals, Championship‑sides, or lower‑division‑teams, with the latter‑option‑matches‑often held at the Stadium of Light, creating a more compact‑home‑run‑and‑fewer‑travel‑demands. Success in the Carabao‑Cup can produce a cluster of mid‑week‑knockout‑ties, while the FA‑Cup’s later‑rounds can push into the March–April window, coinciding with the crucial‑final‑run‑of‑Premier‑League‑fixtures.
How cup‑fixtures affect the calendar
Cup‑competition‑fixtures create congestion in the Sunderland calendar, forcing the club to play multiple matches in quick succession or to rearrange mid‑week dates around TV‑scheduling and European‑competition‑requirements. The Stadium of Light often hosts a mix of league‑matches and cup‑rounds, which can lead to a compact‑fixture‑block where the club plays three games in eight days, especially in the late‑autumn and early‑spring‑periods. The Carabao‑Cup‑early‑round‑ties in August and September are often used as a way to rotate‑the‑squad, give minutes to younger players, and test new tactical ideas ahead of the more‑critical‑league‑and‑cup‑fixtures.
The FA‑Cup‑fixtures are typically held in the later‑stages of the season, with the club’s entry into the main‑stage‑knockout‑rounds requiring a specific‑set‑of‑rounds and results. These matches are often scheduled as Saturday‑afternoon‑kick‑offs, aligning with the traditional FA‑Cup‑format, and can create a short‑break‑window before the next‑league‑fixture. The combination of Carabao‑Cup‑and‑FA‑Cup‑fixtures can push the club’s total‑match count into the 40s, which is why the club’s management focuses on squad‑rotation, injury‑management, and recovery to keep the core‑players fit for the season‑deciding‑run‑in.
Friendly and pre‑season fixtures
Before the 2025–26 competitive season begins, Sunderland play a series of pre‑season friendlies designed to prepare the squad, integrate new signings, and test tactical setups. These fixtures are usually held in July, with the club often travelling to nearby North‑East‑sides or mainland‑European‑locations for training‑camps and warm‑up‑matches. The friendlies are not counted in the official‑fixture‑list for the Premier League, FA Cup, or Carabao Cup, but they provide a vital‑testing‑bed for the team’s shape and fitness ahead of the first‑match‑of‑the‑season against West Ham.
Pre‑season‑fixtures often include games against local‑rivals or lower‑league‑teams, with the club sometimes hosting supporters‑tickets‑sales for these matches. The club alsouses this period to test different formations, solve tactical‑problems, and assess the fitness of players returning from injuries. The final‑friendly‑or‑two‑are typically held close to the Stadium of Light, giving fans an opportunity to see the squad‑in‑action before the season‑starts‑proper. These matches are also crucial for the coaching‑staff to build unity, test new signings, and prepare the team for the high‑intensity‑demands of the Premier League.
Practical Information: Attending Sunderland fixtures at the Stadium of Light
Sunderland play their home Premier League, domestic‑cup, and some international‑friendly matches at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland, with weekend kick‑offs usually at 3:00 pm and mid‑week fixtures often at 8:00 pm, depending on TV‑scheduling, cup‑rounds, and European‑competition‑requirements. The stadium usually opens gates about 90 minutes before kickoff, with extra‑security and enhanced‑stewarding for high‑attendance games such as Tyne‑Wear derbies, festive‑fixtures, and cup‑rounds, which are likely to sell‑out or run close to capacity. Ticket‑prices vary by category and age, with adult‑tickets in the mid‑range of Premier‑League‑pricing, discounted‑rates for children and seniors, and family‑packages available for supporters bringing multiple generations.
The club’s official ticket‑office and online‑ticketing portal provide real‑time updates on availability, with high‑demand fixtures often selling out days or even weeks in advance, especially when the club is chasing a survival‑fight, a top‑half‑push, or hosting a high‑profile‑club such as Manchester City, Liverpool, or Chelsea. Awayfans are allocated a dedicated block, with strict segregation rules and additional‑security‑oversight, particularly when the visiting team has a sizable‑travelling‑support. For fans wanting to attend matches, the combination of early‑booking, price‑range‑research, and match‑type‑awareness (league, cup, or friendly) is key to securing the best‑seats at the most‑affordable‑costs while still enjoying the full‑stadium‑experience.
How to get to the Stadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is accessible by public‑transport, with the nearest metro and bus‑stops only a short walk from the stadium, making it easy for fans from across the North‑East and beyond to reach the ground. The club provides a detailed “plan‑your‑journey” guide on its official website, including maps, recommended‑lines, and walking‑times, which is especially useful on high‑attendance‑fixture‑days when traffic and road‑closures are common. For those arriving from farther afield, nearby‑railway‑stations such as Sunderland Station and surrounding‑town‑terminuses connect to the city’s transport‑network, allowing supporters to complete the final leg of the trip by bus, taxi, or on foot.
Pick‑up and drop‑off‑zones are clearly marked, with additional staff‑directing traffic and managing queues on matchdays to speed‑up entry and reduce congestion. The club often increases stewarding and marshalling numbers for big‑game‑dates, with extra‑staff helping to manage queues, direct fans to the correct‑entrance, and enforce any stadium‑specific‑rules on banners, noise‑makers, or outside‑refreshments. Arriving early is strongly advised, as security‑checks and crowd‑flow‑management can significantly slow‑down entry when gates first open, especially for high‑stake‑fixtures.
What to expect at a Sunderland match
Attending a Sunderland fixture at the Stadium of Light offers an intense, atmospheric experience, with the stands packed with tens of thousands of supporters, creating a loud, passionate environment that can be both exhilarating and intimidating for visiting players. The stadium’s layout, with steep stands and a compact pitch, brings the crowd close to the action, amplifying the noise and emotion during key moments such as goals, tackles, and late‑game‑drama. The pre‑match and half‑time periods are often filled with fan‑chants, music, and club‑symbolism, reinforcing the sense of identity and history that defines Sunderland’s support.
On‑pitch, Sunderland’s 2025–26 style is built around a mix of attacking‑intent, pressing, and transitional‑play, with a focus on wide‑areas and set‑pieces to exploit the opposition’s back‑line. The visiting‑team‑manager often faces the challenge of dealing with a vocal‑support‑base and a physically‑intense‑style, while the Sunderland‑side uses the home‑advantage to push for early‑goals and sustained‑pressure. The crowd’s energy usually peaks in the first‑20 minutes and the closing‑15 minutes, when the outcomes of key‑fixtures and derbies are most likely to be decided by late‑goals or moments of individual‑quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to get to the Stadium of Light?
The Tyne and Wear Metro is the most efficient method; use the Stadium of Light or St. Peter’s stations, both of which are a short walk from the turnstiles.
Can I buy tickets at the stadium on matchday?
Sunderland has moved to a digital-first, cashless ticketing system. It is highly recommended to purchase e-tickets online in advance, as high-profile games often sell out.
Where can away fans sit at the Stadium of Light?
Away supporters are typically housed in the Upper North Stand, offering a clear view of the pitch from the highest vantage point in the ground.
How do I check for fixture changes?
Fans should monitor the official Sunderland AFC website and social media channels, as Premier League games are frequently moved for Sky Sports or TNT Sports broadcasts.
Are there any discounts for young fans?
Sunderland offers significant concessions for Under-22s (£25–£29) and Under-14s (£13.50–£16) to encourage the next generation of supporters.
What is the capacity of the Stadium of Light?
The stadium holds approximately 49,000 spectators, making it one of the largest club stadiums in the United Kingdom.
Final Thoughts
As Sunderland AFC enters the twilight of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign, the upcoming fixtures represent a critical opportunity for Régis Le Bris’s side to secure a top-half finish. With high-profile matches against Manchester United and Chelsea closing out the schedule at the Stadium of Light, the atmosphere in the North East is expected to reach a fever pitch. These games are not only vital for league standings but also serve as a benchmark for the club’s progress since returning to the top flight.
For supporters, planning is key to enjoying the matchday experience. Whether navigating the Tyne and Wear Metro system or securing digital tickets through the official SAFC app, staying informed about potential schedule changes is essential. As the Black Cats look to end the season on a high, the Stadium of Light remains one of the most vibrant and accessible venues in English football, offering a premier experience for both die-hard fans and first-time visitors alike.
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