Sunderland AFC
the Black Cats.

Sunderland First-Team Squad

Régis Le Bris’ Black Cats are captained by the vastly experienced Switzerland international Granit Xhaka, with Netherlands goalkeeper Robin Roefs behind a well-drilled defence. Dutch striker Brian Brobbey and Haiti forward Wilson Isidor lead the line, the locally-born Chris Rigg brings energy to midfield, and Senegal’s Habib Diarra drives the team forward at the Stadium of Light.

Squad correct as of the summer 2026 window, which runs until 1 September — numbers and personnel may change. Follow every Sunderland fixture and prediction at AI Pro Prediction and our Europa League predictions hub.

Sunderland: A Complete Guide to the Black Cats

Origins and Identity

Sunderland Association Football Club were founded in 1879 and are one of the oldest and most historic professional clubs in all of English football. Based in the city of Sunderland in the North East of England, and playing at the impressive Stadium of Light, the club — known as the Black Cats — are a proud institution with a rich history, a huge, loyal and passionate fanbase and a status as one of the great traditional clubs of the English game.

Playing in their famous red-and-white stripes, Sunderland are renowned for the extraordinary passion and loyalty of their supporters, whose devotion endured through many difficult years in the lower divisions. The club’s identity is rooted in its proud history as six-time champions of England, its deep connection to its North East community and its fierce local rivalry, and the modern era has seen a remarkable and joyous return to the elite of English football.

A Historic Powerhouse

Sunderland were one of the dominant forces of early English football, earning the celebrated nickname “the Team of All Talents” and winning six league titles, a haul that places them among the most successful English clubs of all time. The club’s championships, won across the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, established Sunderland as one of the powerhouses of the English game and a club with a proud and distinguished heritage.

In addition to their league titles, Sunderland have twice won the FA Cup, most memorably in 1973, when a Second Division Sunderland side produced one of the very greatest FA Cup final shocks in the competition’s history by defeating the mighty Leeds United, a triumph immortalised in the club’s folklore. This proud record of achievement, headlined by six league titles and famous cup triumphs, reflects Sunderland’s status as one of the grand old institutions of English football. Few clubs outside the modern elite can point to such a decorated past.

Sunderland Season-by-Season: Recent Record

The table below charts Sunderland’s remarkable recent journey, illustrating the club’s climb from the depths of League One, through the Championship, back to the Premier League under Régis Le Bris, and its stunning seventh-placed finish and qualification for European football in its first season back in the top flight.

As the data shows, Sunderland endured several difficult years in the lower divisions, including a spell in the third tier, before mounting a determined climb back to the top. Under Régis Le Bris, the club won promotion from the Championship via the play-offs in 2025 and then, remarkably, defied all expectations to finish seventh in the Premier League in 2025–26, qualifying for the Europa League — their first European football since 1973.

The Remarkable 2025–26 Season

Sunderland’s 2025–26 campaign was one of the most remarkable in the club’s history. Newly promoted and widely tipped for relegation, the Black Cats instead produced a stunning season under Régis Le Bris, finishing seventh in the Premier League and qualifying for the Europa League. It was an extraordinary achievement for a promoted club, made all the more impressive by the fact that all three promoted sides had been relegated in each of the two previous seasons.

Sunderland’s success was built on a formidable home record at the Stadium of Light, where they went unbeaten in their opening twelve league games, and a well-organised, resilient and effective style of play. The seventh-placed finish and European qualification represented a triumph of management, recruitment and team spirit, and it marked a joyous and unexpected return to the elite of English football for a club and a fanbase that had suffered through many lean years. Follow all of Sunderland’s matches with our Europa League match predictions throughout the season.

Sunderland’s Major Honours

Sunderland are one of the most historically successful clubs in English football, with a trophy cabinet that reflects their status as a former powerhouse of the English game. The full breakdown of the club’s major honours is charted below, headlined by six league titles and two FA Cups, including the famous triumph of 1973.

This impressive collection, headlined by six top-flight league titles and two FA Cups, underlines Sunderland’s status as one of the grand old institutions of English football. While the club’s league titles belong to a bygone era, and its most recent major trophy was the FA Cup of 1973, this proud record of achievement reflects the club’s rich heritage and its former standing as one of the dominant forces in the English game.

The Famous 1973 FA Cup Triumph

One of the most cherished moments in Sunderland’s history came in 1973, when a Second Division Sunderland side produced one of the greatest shocks in the history of the FA Cup, defeating the star-studded Leeds United in the final at Wembley. The winning goal, scored by Ian Porterfield, and the heroics of goalkeeper Jim Montgomery, whose extraordinary double save is regarded as one of the most famous in the entire history of the FA Cup, secured a triumph that is immortalised in the club’s folklore. It stands as arguably the greatest single achievement in Sunderland’s modern history and a symbol of what the club is capable of. It stands as arguably the greatest single achievement in Sunderland’s modern history and a symbol of what the club is capable of.

The 1973 FA Cup victory, achieved by a club from outside the top flight against one of the finest Teams in the country, is remembered as one of the great fairytales of English football and remains the proudest single day in Sunderland’s modern history. The images of manager Bob Stokoe running across the Wembley pitch to embrace his goalkeeper are among the most iconic and enduring images in the entire history of the competition, and the triumph is cherished by generations of Sunderland supporters.

The Long Road Back

Sunderland’s return to the Premier League in 2025 was the culmination of a long and difficult journey back from the lower divisions. After relegation from the Premier League, the club endured a painful decline that saw it drop into the third tier of English football, an almost unthinkable fall for a club of Sunderland’s history and stature. The years in League One were a testing time for the club and its long-suffering supporters.

Yet through all the difficulties, the extraordinary loyalty of the Sunderland faithful never wavered, with the club continuing to attract huge crowds even in the third tier, a remarkable testament to their devotion. Few clubs anywhere in the world can boast such loyalty in the face of such sustained adversity. The eventual climb back, first out of League One and then, under Régis Le Bris, out of the Championship and into the Premier League, was greeted with unbridled joy. The long road back makes the club’s stunning return to European football all the more cherished.

The Régis Le Bris Era

The appointment of the French coach Régis Le Bris in 2024 proved to be an inspired decision that transformed Sunderland’s fortunes. Le Bris won promotion from the Championship via the play-offs in his first season and then, remarkably, guided the newly promoted club to a seventh-placed finish and European qualification in the Premier League, an achievement that earned him a nomination for the Premier League Manager of the Season award and widespread acclaim.

Le Bris’s success was built on shrewd recruitment, tactical intelligence and the forging of a resilient, well-organised and spirited team that punched well above its weight. His achievement in establishing Sunderland in the Premier League and delivering European football at the first attempt was extraordinary, and it made him a hugely popular figure on Wearside. His calm authority and clear vision stood in stark contrast to the instability many clubs endured that season. Rewarded with a new long-term contract, Le Bris now leads the club into its European adventure with the ambition of building on its remarkable success.

The Stadium of Light

The Stadium of Light has been Sunderland’s home since 1997, when the club moved from its historic former ground at Roker Park. One of the largest stadiums in English football, the Stadium of Light is renowned for its passionate atmosphere, generated by the club’s huge and fervent fanbase, and it stands as a symbol of Sunderland’s ambition and its status as one of the great clubs of the North East.

The atmosphere generated by the Sunderland faithful at the Stadium of Light is among the most passionate in English football, and the ground was a fortress during the club’s remarkable 2025–26 season, when the Black Cats went unbeaten at home in their opening twelve league games. That home form transformed the Stadium of Light into one of the most daunting venues in the division for visiting teams. The Stadium of Light, with its large capacity and fervent support, provides Sunderland with a truly formidable home advantage and a fitting stage for the club’s return to the elite and to European competition. On the biggest nights, the roar of the Stadium of Light can be an intimidating and inspiring force in equal measure.

Legendary Players Through the Ages

Sunderland’s long and rich history has featured many memorable players. The club’s heroes include the goalscoring legend Charlie Buchan from the early era, the heroes of the 1973 FA Cup triumph such as goalkeeper Jim Montgomery and goalscorer Ian Porterfield, and, in more recent times, popular figures such as the prolific striker Kevin Phillips, whose goals fired Sunderland in the Premier League and earned him the European Golden Boot.

The club’s modern resurgence has been driven by a talented and well-recruited squad, including the influential captain Granit Xhaka, a hugely experienced international whose leadership has been central to the club’s success, and exciting young talents such as the locally-born midfielder Chris Rigg. From the heroes of the past to the stars of the present, Sunderland have been represented by players who have written the club’s distinguished history and earned the affection of its passionate support. Each generation of Sunderland supporters has its own heroes, woven into the fabric of the club’s long story.

The Tyne-Wear Derby

Sunderland’s fiercest rivalry is the intense and passionate Tyne-Wear derby against North East neighbours Newcastle United, one of the most heated and significant fixtures in English football. Rooted in the deep-seated regional rivalry between the two cities, matches between Sunderland and Newcastle carry enormous significance for supporters of both clubs and are among the most fiercely contested derbies in the country.

The Tyne-Wear derby is a central part of Sunderland’s identity, and victory over Newcastle is cherished by the Black Cats’ faithful above almost all else. The rivalry, one of the most bitter and passionate in English football, has produced countless memorable moments over its long history. As Sunderland re-establish themselves in the Premier League, the prospect of the renewal of this historic derby adds further excitement for the club’s supporters. Bragging rights across the North East remain among the most fiercely coveted in all of English football.

The Louis-Dreyfus Ownership

Sunderland are owned by Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, who became one of the youngest majority owners in English football when he acquired control of the club. His fresh, forward-thinking approach marked a clear break from the turbulence that had preceded his arrival. Under his ownership, Sunderland have adopted a clear, modern and sustainable model built around shrewd recruitment, the development of young talent and astute management, an approach that has driven the club’s remarkable rise from League One back to the Premier League and into Europe. This sustainable model has been widely admired across the game as a template for how a fallen giant can be rebuilt.

The Louis-Dreyfus era has brought stability, ambition and a clear strategic vision to Sunderland after years of turbulence, and the club’s modern recruitment model, overseen by an effective football structure, has been central to its success. Identifying undervalued talent and developing it has become a genuine strength of the modern Sunderland. The appointment of Régis Le Bris and the building of a competitive, well-balanced squad reflect the ownership’s intelligent approach. As Sunderland look to build on their return to the elite, the continued backing and vision of the ownership will be crucial. The alignment between the boardroom, the football staff and the supporters has been a hallmark of the club’s revival.

The Team of All Talents

In the early decades of English football, Sunderland were one of the dominant forces in the game, earning the celebrated nickname “the Team of All Talents”. This brilliant Sunderland side won multiple league titles around the turn of the twentieth century, establishing the club as one of the powerhouses of the English game and building a proud heritage that endures to this day.

The success of those early Sunderland teams laid the foundations for the club’s status as one of the grand old institutions of English football. The six league titles won by Sunderland place the club among the most successful in the history of the English game, and though those triumphs belong to a distant era, they remain a source of enormous pride and a reminder of the club’s distinguished pedigree and its former standing at the very summit of English football.

Kevin Phillips and the Premier League Years

Sunderland enjoyed a notable spell in the Premier League around the turn of the millennium, a period fondly remembered by supporters and defined by the goalscoring exploits of the prolific striker Kevin Phillips. Phillips was one of the finest strikers in the country, and his remarkable goalscoring earned him the European Golden Boot, a rare and prestigious honour that underlined his status as one of the most lethal finishers in European football. No English player has matched that particular feat since.

Phillips’s partnership with Niall Quinn was one of the most effective in the Premier League, and the pair fired Sunderland to impressive top-half finishes that represented the club’s best years in the modern top flight before its later decline. The Kevin Phillips era is remembered with great fondness by the Sunderland faithful as a time when the club competed with distinction in the Premier League and boasted one of the finest strikers in the European game.

Playing Philosophy Under Le Bris

Under Régis Le Bris, Sunderland developed a well-organised, resilient and effective style of play that enabled the newly promoted club to defy expectations and finish seventh in the Premier League. Opponents frequently found the Black Cats a stubborn, hard-working and well-drilled proposition. Le Bris’s teams were noted for their tactical discipline, their strong defensive structure and their ability to compete with and beat more fancied opponents, a combination that proved remarkably successful in the club’s return to the top flight.

The French coach’s intelligent, pragmatic approach, combined with shrewd recruitment and the development of a spirited team, was central to Sunderland’s stunning success. As the club prepares for its European adventure and seeks to consolidate its Premier League status, maintaining the organisation, resilience and team spirit that characterised its remarkable season will be crucial. Le Bris’s clear footballing philosophy has been a key factor in the club’s transformation into a competitive top-flight side.

Granit Xhaka: The Leader

A key figure in Sunderland’s remarkable resurgence has been the vastly experienced midfielder Granit Xhaka, who arrived as a marquee signing and was installed as captain. The Switzerland international, a former Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen player with a wealth of experience at the highest level, brought leadership, quality and composure to the Sunderland midfield and was instrumental in the club’s stunning seventh-placed finish.

Xhaka’s influence, both on the pitch as a commanding midfielder and off it as an inspirational captain, was central to Sunderland’s success in their return to the Premier League. His experience of competing at the top of the game, including in European competition, will be invaluable as the Black Cats embark on their Europa League campaign. The signing of a player of Xhaka’s calibre and leadership was a statement of Sunderland’s ambition and a key factor in its remarkable rise.

Roker Park and the Move to the Stadium of Light

For most of its history, Sunderland played at the historic Roker Park, a famous old ground renowned for its intense atmosphere, the celebrated “Roker Roar” of its passionate supporters. Roker Park was the home of the club’s glory years and was one of the great traditional grounds of English football, hosting matches including fixtures at the 1966 World Cup and holding a special place in the affections of generations of Sunderland supporters.

In 1997, Sunderland moved to the newly built Stadium of Light, a modern, large-capacity arena that reflected the club’s ambitions and provided a fitting new home. The name of the stadium pays tribute to the region’s coal-mining heritage, and the move represented an important step in the club’s modernisation. While the move from Roker Park was an emotional occasion, the Stadium of Light has become a fortress and a symbol of the club’s enduring stature in the English game.

The Return to Europe

Sunderland’s qualification for the Europa League in 2026 marked a momentous and emotional milestone, representing the club’s first venture into European football since 1973. For a club and a fanbase that had endured many years in the lower divisions, the prospect of European nights at the Stadium of Light was a source of enormous excitement and pride, a reward for the remarkable resurgence achieved under Régis Le Bris.

The Europa League offers Sunderland the chance to test themselves against quality continental opposition and to enjoy the memorable European occasions that had been absent from the club for over half a century. Competing in Europe while consolidating their Premier League status will test the depth and quality of Le Bris’s squad, but it is a challenge the club and its supporters will embrace with relish, savouring their long-awaited return to the European stage. European away days, absent for over fifty years, are eagerly anticipated by the travelling Sunderland support.

The Black Cats’ Faithful

Sunderland are renowned for having one of the largest and most passionate fanbases in English football, whose loyalty was demonstrated most powerfully during the club’s difficult years in the lower divisions, when the Black Cats continued to attract huge crowds even in the third tier. This extraordinary support, unwavering through the leanest of times, is one of the club’s greatest assets and a defining feature of its identity.

The passion of the Sunderland faithful, and their deep connection to the club and the North East region, create a fervent atmosphere at the Stadium of Light and provide the club with a formidable home advantage. The loyalty of the supporters, who suffered through the difficult years and celebrated the remarkable return to the Premier League and to Europe, is legendary, and the bond between Sunderland and its fans remains at the very heart of what the club represents.

The Club and Its Community

Sunderland are deeply rooted in their North East community, and the club’s connection to the region is a fundamental part of its identity. Through the Foundation of Light, its charitable arm, the club uses its profile and resources to make a positive impact across the region, delivering programmes in education, health and social inclusion that reflect its commitment to the community from which it draws its passionate support.

This bond between the club and its community, forged over nearly 150 years, is one of Sunderland’s greatest strengths. The pride that the people of Sunderland and the wider North East take in their club, and the loyalty they have shown through both the glory years and the difficult times, are central to the Sunderland story. The deep connection to place, community and regional identity remains at the very heart of what Sunderland Association Football Club represents.

Looking Ahead

As Sunderland embark on their European adventure under Régis Le Bris, the club’s ambitions are higher than they have been in a generation. Having defied all expectations to qualify for the Europa League in their first season back in the Premier League, the Black Cats aim to consolidate their top-flight status, to enjoy their return to European competition and to build on their remarkable resurgence. With a huge and passionate fanbase, a formidable home in the Stadium of Light, an astute manager and an ambitious ownership, Sunderland have genuine reason for optimism. For a club with such a proud history and such devoted support, the dream is to establish itself once more among the significant forces of English football. The Black Cats, roared on by their loyal supporters, look to the future with ambition and hope, dreaming of memorable European nights and a return to the glory days. After years of hardship, the Black Cats and their supporters have every reason to believe the best may be yet to come. Follow all the latest Sunderland fixtures and predictions throughout the campaign.