PRE-SEASON PREVIEW

With the players back in training tomorrow (yes it really has flown by), preparation begins

for our first European campaign in 53 years. In this article I will be looking at who we will be

facing in our pre-season fixtures.

Game 1- York City (A) Saturday 18th July

Last Season: 1st National League

Manager: Stuart Maynard

Last Meeting: York City 1-1 Sunderland (D.Neil 28’) 21/07/2021 (Pre-Season)

Sunderland travel to York for their first set of pre-season fixtures, which has seen the double

header with South Shields and Gateshead shelved. York are making their return to the

Football League for the first time since the 2015/16 season following a dramatic final day

victory against second placed Rochdale. The first game is always mainly about getting the

cobwebs off and should be a nice way to ease back into things with many still on holiday

due to the World Cup. We will likely see a different eleven in each half and a lot of youth

players getting opportunities.

Game 2- Liverpool (N) Saturday 25th July

Last Season: 5th Premier League

Manager: Andoni Iraola

Last Meeting: Sunderland 0-1 Liverpool 11/02/2026 (Premier League)

A week later it’s Liverpool in Nashville for the first game of our American tour. Under new

manager Iraola it could be an interesting summer for the Kopites, with former Newcastle

man Alexander Isak looking to build up fitness to have a much better campaign than his first at Anfield. I would imagine this is where the bulk of our squad will return from the World

Cup and preparations can fully get underway.

Game 3- Leeds United (N) Friday 31st July

Last Season: 14th Premier League

Manager: Daniel Farke

Last Meeting: Leeds Utd 0-1 Sunderland (Diarra 70’) 03/03/2026 (Premier League)

Leeds are the last Premier League opposition we will face as part of our pre-season

schedule, taking place in the Sports Illustrated Stadium which is the home of the New York

Red Bulls. After a good first season back in the Premier League, Daniel Farke will be keen tomake sure his side continue to become a stable top division side. Sunderland have lost just one of their last six meetings against Leeds and will be another good test for the Lads.

Game 4- Wrexham (N) Sunday 2nd August

Last Season: 7th Championship

Manager: Phil Parkinson

Last Meeting: Wrexham 0-1 Sunderland (Brown 4’) 07/04/1980 (Division Two)

Probably the most rogue of our friendlies as we take on a Phil Parkinson side in

Pennsylvania. Wrexham just missed out on the Play-offs last season and I am sure will be

right up there come the end of the upcoming campaign. It could be a game where some of

the Lads on the fringes get an opportunity to stake their claim before they return back to

the North East.

Game 5- RC Lens (A) Saturday 8th August

Last Season: 2nd Ligue 1

Manager: Dino Topmoller

Last Meeting: FIRST MEETING

Probably our toughest test of pre-season is a trip to Lens. They led Ligue 1 for a good

portion of the season before PSG’s quality knocked them off pole. I would imagine this will

be where Regis is looking to get his best team out and try and finish pre-season as positively as possible. It is one of two games against them that day where I expect the fringe players will be involved in the behind closed doors game.

Game 6- Stade Rennes (H) Saturday 15th August

Last Season: 6th Ligue 1

Manager: Franck Haise

Last Meeting: FIRST MEETING

Our final pre-season game will be a game dominated by the return of Eliezer Mayenda, who

will get a proper send off after leaving for the French side at the weekend. Hopefully a good

crowd will be in for what will also be our last game before the start of the season. With that

in mind I would expect we will be near enough full strength with hopefully a few new signings to get a look at for the first time.