Sunderland’s new membership scheme explained, including prices, ticket ballots, waiting-list access and key fan questions
Sunderland have introduced a new membership programme ahead of the 2026/27 campaign, with supporters able to sign up from 10am on Tuesday, July 14.
Below, we have brought together the confirmed details and answered the main questions raised by supporters since Monday’s announcement.
What does each membership tier include?
Season Ticket Plus – £20 per season
This is an optional add-on available to existing Sunderland season-ticket holders. Members will receive access to an away-ticket ballot, which will be drawn from 10 per cent of the club’s allocation for each applicable fixture.
The tier also includes club content, member rewards, selected offers, access to in-store events and entry into the mascot ballot for children aged between six and 12. Season-ticket holders are not required to purchase Season Ticket Plus to preserve their existing rights. The main decision is whether the additional benefits, particularly access to the away ballot, represent sufficient value for £20.
Black Cats Adult – £48 per season
This is the main membership tier for supporters without season tickets. It provides access to home-ticket ballots covering Premier League, Europa League and domestic cup fixtures, with supporters required to opt in separately for each game. Members will also be able to join Sunderland’s new season-ticket waiting list and receive access to club content, selected offers, member rewards and in-store events.
Black Cats Academy – £30 for the first child
The Academy tier is available to supporters aged between four and 18. The first child’s membership costs £30, with each additional child in the same family priced at £20. It includes the same core benefits as the Adult membership, including home-ticket ballot access and the season-ticket waiting list. Children aged six to 12 can also enter the club’s mascot ballot.
Frequently asked questions from Sunderland supporters
Q: When does membership go on sale?
Memberships will be available to purchase from 10am on Tuesday, July 14. Supporters who join before 8pm on Thursday, July 23, will receive £10 off Sunderland’s full pre-season streaming package. The club say the programme was developed following discussions with domestic and international supporter groups.
Q: Will I still be able to forward my season ticket to somebody with a purchase history if I cannot attend a game?
Yes. Our understanding is that the introduction of membership will not change Sunderland’s existing ticket-forwarding arrangements. Season-ticket holders will retain their current rights whether or not they choose to purchase Season Ticket Plus. The £20 membership is an additional product rather than a compulsory upgrade. Its main ticketing benefit is access to the ballot for 10 per cent of Sunderland’s away allocation.
Q: Will I still be able to buy a home ticket if I am not a member?
Yes, but members will be given the first opportunity to secure available general-admission tickets through the ballot. Any tickets not taken through that process are expected to proceed to general sale, meaning non-members could still have an opportunity to purchase one.
However, given the level of demand last season and the fact Sunderland have again sold out their season tickets, it is reasonable to expect availability to be extremely limited for many fixtures. The club have not yet explained how many tickets will be placed into each ballot or what proportion, if any, is likely to reach general sale.
Q: I want to attend with friends or family. Can I buy several tickets through one successful membership?
As things stand, the understanding is that one membership will provide access to one ticket. That would mean every person hoping to enter the ballot as part of the same family or friendship group would need their own membership.
The exact process for linked applications has not yet been fully explained. Sunderland will need to clarify whether supporters can enter together as a group and ensure that either everyone in that group is successful or nobody is.
That is particularly important for families. Parents will want reassurance that children cannot be successful in a ballot without an accompanying adult also receiving access.
Q: Does the membership scheme allow supporters without season tickets to enter the away ballot?
No. Access to the away-ticket ballot is reserved for supporters who hold a Sunderland season ticket and then purchase the £20 Season Ticket Plus add-on. The Black Cats Adult and Academy tiers provide access to home-ticket ballots but not away fixtures. This means a supporter without a season ticket cannot pay £48 for Adult membership and then enter the ballot for an away game.
Q: Will membership be required for a place on Sunderland’s season-ticket waiting list?
Yes. Sunderland closed the previous 2026/27 season-ticket waiting list on Friday, July 3. A new waiting list will open alongside the membership scheme at 10am on Tuesday.
Access to that list is included with the Black Cats Adult and Academy memberships. The club say a supporter’s place will remain active for as long as they continue renewing their membership. Season Ticket Plus does not include waiting-list access because it is only available to supporters who already hold a season ticket.
Q: I regularly attend away games. Will the new system affect my Black Cat Points?
The Black Cat Points system will continue to operate separately from the membership scheme. Existing points will not be removed or changed, and supporters with the highest totals will retain priority for tickets distributed through the traditional sales phases.
The significant difference is that 10 per cent of each away allocation will now be held back for the Season Ticket Plus ballot. That will inevitably reduce the number of tickets available through the Black Cat Points process. Sunderland say the new arrangement will allow a broader group of supporters to begin accumulating points through Season Ticket Plus, although further detail is required on precisely how ballot success will affect individual totals.
Q: Will the ballot allocation change for Europa League matches or smaller Premier League grounds?
The club’s release states that the away ballot will cover Premier League, Europa League and domestic cup fixtures. Our understanding is that the 10 per cent figure will apply regardless of the competition or size of the opposition’s allocation. That could become particularly significant at smaller grounds or for European away trips where ticket numbers may be heavily restricted.
For example, an allocation of 1,000 would place approximately 100 tickets into the membership ballot before the remainder is distributed through other channels, including the Black Cat Points system. Sunderland will need to provide a full breakdown before the first away-ticket sale, so supporters know exactly how many seats will be available through each route.
Q: Do I need to buy Season Ticket Plus to attend Sunderland’s Europa League home fixtures?
Sunderland have not yet published their complete ticketing arrangements for the Europa League campaign. There is currently no indication that season-ticket holders will need to purchase Season Ticket Plus to access home European fixtures.
The expectation is that season-ticket holders will be given the opportunity to purchase their seat for those games, but that was not stated clearly in the initial membership announcement and still requires formal confirmation from the club. What has been confirmed is that supporters without season tickets can enter the home-ticket ballot for Europa League fixtures by purchasing Black Cats Adult or Academy membership.
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