How do Sunderland's average crowds this season compare to their Premier League rivals?
Sunderland’s unbeaten Premier League home record was finally ended last week as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat against Liverpool.
The Black Cats had avoided defeat in their first 12 games at the Stadium of Light after returning to the top flight, standing alone as the last unbeaten home team in the division. However, a 61st-minute goal from Virgil van Dijk on Wednesday ended that run, in a match where Sunderland showed plenty of defensive grit, but were ultimately second best.
But none of that can take away from what has been an excellent season for Regis Le Bris’ men so far, and that is reflected in the club’s average attendance figure, which is now up to 46,247. That is over 7,000 more than 2024/25, their highest average attendance since the 2001/02 campaign (46,745) and fourth-highest of all-time.
But how does it compare to the rest of the Premier League, including arch-rivals Newcastle United and this weekend’s opponents Fulham?
Sunderland’s average attendance compared to Premier League rivals
Manchester United - 73,981
West Ham United - 62,453
Tottenham Hotspur - 60,912
Liverpool - 60,393
Arsenal - 60,213
Manchester City - 52,226
Newcastle United - 52,053
Everton - 52,018
Sunderland - 46,247
Aston Villa - 41,685
Chelsea - 39,673
Leeds United - 36,714
Brighton - 31,306
Nottingham Forest - 30,443
Wolves - 29,768
Fulham - 27,132
Crystal Palace - 25,028
Burnley - 21,140
Brentford - 17,107
Bournemouth - 11,166
Sunderland’s average attendance this season is the ninth-highest in the Premier League, comfortably ahead of the likes of Aston Villa and Chelsea (per Transfermarkt). However, it’s still lower than Tyne-Wear rivals Newcastle United, who are averaging 52,053 - with Everton sandwiched between the two foes at 52,018 in their brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
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As usual, Manchester United top the attendance charts, with Old Trafford boasting an average crowd of 73,981 - more than 11,000 ahead of second-place West Ham, who pull 62,453 fans at their unpopular but vast London Stadium. United are only behind German giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund throughout the whole of Europe’s top five leagues when it comes to attendances, and their average has been creeping up week by week since Michael Carrick replaced Ruben Amorim as interim manager.
While there are no immediate plans to expand the Stadium of Light, its current capacity gives Sunderland more than enough scope to remain competitive in the average attendance stakes - especially as a side back in the Premier League for the first time since 2017. It also dwarfs the capacity of this weekend’s visitors to the North East, Fulham, who can fit just 28,800 inside Craven Cottage even after expansion, and are averaging a crowd of 27,132 per week.
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