Sunderland made their Europa League debut by finishing sixth in the 2025/26 Premier League, capping an excellent season after promotion to the play-offs.
Regis Le Bris’ The team will play eight games during the league stage, including a trip to seven-time Champions League winners Milan.
The black cats started their campaign with a home win over Alkmaar and could become the third consecutive English side to win the competition, following Aston Villa’s triumph last season and Tottenham’s title in 2024/25.
Check out Sunderland’s full squad and fixtures for the 2026/27 season Europa Leagueincluding their latest results.
Sunderland Europa League 2026/27 fixtures
This is what Sunderland matches look like.
| date | UK time | Opponents | stage | result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 16, 2026 | 20:00 | AZ Alkmaar (H) | League phase | W 1-0 |
| October 15, 2026 | 5:45 p.m | Torreense (A) | League phase | |
| October 22, 2026 | 5:45 p.m | Lech Poznan (A) | League phase | |
| November 5, 2026 | 20:00 | Dinamo Zagreb (H) | League phase | |
| November 26, 2026 | 20:00 | Jagiellonia (H) | League phase | |
| December 10, 2026 | 20:00 | Milan (A) | League phase | |
| January 21, 2027 | 20:00 | Anderlecht (A) | League phase | |
| January 28, 2027 | 20:00 | Levski Sofia (H) | League phase |
Sunderland Europa League 2026/27 Fixtures
In a change from the previous group stage held until 2023/24, each team now plays eight games in the league stage, all against different opponents.
The top eight teams in the table automatically qualify for the round of 16. Teams finishing ninth to 24th will compete in a two-way play-off to reach the round of 16.
Teams finishing 25th or lower are out of Europe for the season. If Sunderland progress beyond the league stage, the knockout stage schedule looks like this.
| stage | date |
| Play-off of the eliminatory phase | February 18 and 25 |
| Round of 16 | March 11 and 18 |
| Quarter finals | April 8 and 15 |
| semi-finals | April 29 and May 6 |
| end | May 26 |
Sunderland Europa League Squad 2026/27
This is the Sunderland squad entered for the league stage.
| position | players |
|---|---|
| The goalkeepers | Simon Moore, Robin Roefs, Benjamin Metcalf*, Joseph Cowan* |
| defenders | Kevin Danso, Daniel Ballard, Dayann Methalie, Thomas Meunier, Luke O’Nien, Omar Alderete, Reinildo, Nordi Mukiele, Trai Hume, Luke Bell*, Jenson Jones*, Finlay Holcroft*, Joseph Neild*, Ben Kindon*, Archie Lightfoot* |
| midfielders | Chris Rigg, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Enzo Le Fee, Jules Ahoka, Bayley Hester*, Granit Xhaka, Charles Dinsdale, Jack Whittaker, Liam Hunt, Felix Scott, Jaydon Jones*, Timur Tutierov |
| in front | Brian Brobbey, Nilson Angulo, Romaine Mundle, Wilson Isidor, Malick Fofana, Finn Geragusian*, Trey Ogunsuyi*, Marcus Neill*, Tom Proctor* |
List B submissions, indicated by asterisks and made up of players born after 1 January 2005 who have been eligible to play for the club for an uninterrupted period of two years since their 15th birthday, can also be made until midnight before each match.
Which English clubs are in the Europa League 2026/27?
Bournemouth and Sunderland qualified through their positions in the 2025/26 Premier League; Sunderland qualified by winning the 2025/26 Conference League.
The Cherries are making their first appearance in European competition.
When is the Europa League final?
The final takes place at Stadion Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany, home to Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt.
Where to watch Sunderland in Europa League: TV channel, live streaming online
In the UK, the matches are on TNT Sports and can be streamed through the HBO Max app.
Subscriptions start from £30.99, including Eurosport and entertainment, and are available on a wide range of devices including smart TVs and games consoles.
