Sunderland enjoyed a terrific return to the top-flight and a victory over Chelsea on the final day of the season secured European football at the Stadium of Light in 2026/27.
When Sunderland won a dramatic Championship play-off final victory over Sheffield United, many expected the Black Cats to spend the majority of 2025/26 at the wrong end of the table.
Manager Regis Le Bris had other ideas however and he made a number of astute signings, including the likes of influential duo Enzo Le Fee and Granit Xhaka.
The Stadium of Light was a fortress right from the very start as a 3-0 opening day Premier League victory over West Ham United proved to be a useful gauge of where both sides would end up after 38 games.
Barring a run of three straight defeats in February and a 5-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest, Sunderland were competitive throughout the season.
A league double over Newcastle United and finishing above their bitter rivals will have delighted the Sunderland fans, while draws against Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United show just how hard they were to beat.
The Black Cats have taken four points from four games in their second successive season in the top-flight and now turn their attention to a UEFA Europa League opener against AZ Alkmaar.
In the league phase, Sunderland will also play Torreense, Lech Poznań, Dinamo Zagreb, Jagiellonia Białystok, AC Milan, Anderlecht and Levski Sofia.
When did Sunderland last play European football?
Sunderland's last taste of European football came in the 1973/74 season following their historic FA Cup triumph over Leeds United at Wembley - a result that saw them become the first Second Division side to win the trophy in over 40 years.
Competing in the UEFA European Cup Winners Cup, the Black Cats secured back-to-back victories over Vasas Budapest 3-0, before narrowly losing a two-legged tie against Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon.
