Sunderland’s pre-season campaign will get underway in the coming days
Sunderland are gearing up for a long-awaited return to the Premier League next season, and face a pivotal summer of work if they are to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.
Both on the training pitch and in the transfer market, the coming weeks will provide the Black Cats with an opportunity to prepare themselves for the task ahead, and while memories of their Wembley triumph are still gloriously fresh, attention will soon turn to the challenges posed by the top flight.
But when exactly will Sunderland begin their pre-season preparations ahead of the 2025/26 campaign? Here’s everything you need to know...
When will Sunderland return for pre-season?
In a social media post, Sunderland confirmed that their squad would be returning to the Academy of Light to begin their pre-season training schedule 10 days from Tuesday, on Friday July 4th.
The Black Cats will then put in several days on the training ground before concluding their first week of pre-season with a now-traditional friendly double-header against local non-league opposition in the form of Gateshead and South Shields.
What is Sunderland’s pre-season schedule in full?
Sunderland will then travel out to Portugal for a training camp and series of friendlies against high-calibre continental opposition, before returning to the UK for ex-goalkeeper Craig Gordon’s testimonial against Hearts, an away trip to Hull City, and a showpiece fixture against Spanish outfit Real Betis at the Stadium of Light.
The club’s pre-season schedule in full is as follows:
12/07 – Gateshead, Gateshead International Stadium (12:30)
12/07 – South Shields, 1st Cloud Arena (16:00)
19/07 – Sevilla FC, Estádio Algarve (20:00)
21/07 – Sporting CP, Estádio Algarve (20:00)
26/07 – Heart of Midlothian, Tynecastle Park (15:00)
29/07 – Hull City, MKM Stadium (19:45)
02/08 – Real Betis, Stadium of Light (15:00)
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What has Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris said ahead of pre-season?
Speaking in a recent interview with the Italian media, head coach Regis Le Bris looked ahead to next season’s Premier League campaign, stating: "We are talking about the NBA of football, but it is an exciting challenge and we like challenges. I am not scared, I remain convinced that it must be a collective effort: we want to build a strong team, a strong staff, a strong structure. Maintaining our values, I think, is what will allow us to be successful."
Asked about facing the likes of Arne Slot and Pep Guardiola, Le Bris added: "The way I am, I don’t worry too much about the future or the consequences: I always take it one day at a time, trying to understand how I can improve the team at this precise moment. I think about one minute at a time, and it will be the same when we have to face Liverpool."
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