Club

Sunderland AFC are one of England’s most historic football clubs with a story stretching back to 1879. The Black Cats have also lifted titles in various divisions and cup competitions.

Sunderland AFC club name

Officially, the team’s name is Sunderland Association Football Club but they are more commonly called Sunderland AFC for short, or just Sunderland. The club embraced their full name in 1880 after removing the mention of teachers from their first moniker.

Founded as: Sunderland and District Teachers’ Association Football Club (1879 – 1880)

Current name: Sunderland Association Football Club (1880 – present)

Nickname: The Black Cats

Sunderland AFC founding year

James Allan founded the Wearsiders in October 1879 but some historians claim Sunderland AFC’s history as a club actually started in September 1880. The date shows when Allan and his associates formally announced the club’s creation in view of playing competitive games.

Sunderland AFC stadium

Sunderland AFC moved into the Stadium of Light in 1997 and it’s the seventh permanent ground in their history to date. The Black Cats’ most notable former ground was Roker Park – the club’s home for 99 years until they outgrew the venue.

Previous stadiums:

• Blue House Field (1879)
• Various local fields, including The Cedars (1880 – 1882)
• Groves Field (1882 – 1883)
• Horatio Street (1883 – 1884)
• Abbs Field (1884 – 1886)
• Newcastle Road (1886 – 1898)
• Roker Park (1898 – 1997)

Current stadium: Stadium of Light (1997 – present)

Sunderland AFC training ground

Sunderland AFC opened their training ground, the Academy of Light, in 2003. It is a state-of-the-art facility in the suburban village of Cleadon and is the home for all their operations. Each Sunderland AFC academy side and the Ladies’ team also train at the £10m complex.

Current training ground: Academy of Light (2003 – present)

Address: The Sunderland Academy of Light, Sunderland Road, Cleadon, SR6 7UN, England

Current league

Sunderland AFC currently play in the top tier of English football, the Premier League. The Black Cats returned to the division for the first time since 2017, after an incredible campaign in the Championship saw them claim fourth place and a play-off spot.

The Mackems defeated Coventry City in the semi-final over two legs with a last-gasp Dan Ballard goal sealing their passage to Wembley. There, Sheffield United took the lead but a stunning comeback was completed when Tommy Watson scored in injury time to secure Sunderland’s promotion.

Previous league: English Football League, Championship (2022 – 2025)

Current league: English Premier League (2025 – present)

Current manager

Sunderland AFC announced that they were set to appoint Regis Le Bris as their first-team manager in June 2024, taking over from interim boss Mike Dodds. The Black Cats had gone since February 2024 without a permanent head coach after they sacked Michael Beale 12 games into his reign.

Current manager: Regis Le Bris (July 2024 – June 2027)

Previous manager: Mike Dodds (Interim, February 2024 – June 2024)

Sunderland AFC contact details

Website: safc.com

General enquiries, email: [email protected]

Ticket enquiries, email: [email protected]

Other contact details: Full list here

Address: The Sunderland Stadium Of Light, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR5 1SU, England

Sunderland AFC tickets

Fans wanting to buy tickets to attend Sunderland AFC games can do so through their official ticket partner, Ticketmaster. The Black Cats sell single-game tickets for their home and away fixtures. Fans can also buy season tickets, subject to their availability, for the club’s matches.

Website: eticketing.co.uk/safc/events