Sunderland AFC

Sunderland Association Football Club is a professional football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of the English football league system.

Formed in 1879, the club has won six top-flight titles (1892, 1893, 1895, 1902, 1913, and 1936) in the First Division, and finished runners-up five times. The club has also won the FA Cup twice (1937 and 1973), and been runners-up twice (1913 and 1992), and won the FA Charity Shield in 1936. They were also Football League Cup finalists in 1985 and 2014.

Nicknamed the Black Cats, Sunderland play home games at the Stadium of Light, having moved from Roker Park in 1997. The club has a fierce long-standing rivalry with nearby Newcastle United, with whom the Tyne–Wear derby has been contested since 1898. They play in red and white-striped shirts and black shorts.
Sunderland finished fourth in the 2024–25 EFL Championship, qualifying for the play-offs, where they met Coventry City. Following a 2–1 win away in the first leg, the club drew the home leg 1–1 at home, with a goal from defender Daniel Ballard in the last minute of extra time. This meant a 3–2 win on aggregate, and qualification for the play-off final. In the final on 24 May 2025, Sunderland came back from 1–0 down to beat Sheffield United 2–1, with goals from Eliezer Mayenda and a stoppage-time winner from Tom Watson. This secured the Black Cats' return to the Premier League after an eight-year absence from the top division.

Sunderland's return to the Premier League prompted investment in the playing squad, with €115 million being spent as of 13 July 2025. Each of these purchases were for a fee greater than their previous transfer record when Asamoah Gyan was purchased. They ultimately placed seventh following the conclusion of the 2025–26 season, their highest finish in the top division since 2000–01. This allowed them qualify for European football for the first time in 53 years, having last competed there in 1973.