Sunderland were founded in 1879 and are one of England's historic clubs, with six league titles, most of them won before the Second World War, and FA Cup wins in 1937 and 1973. After relegations in 2017 and 2018 took them to the third tier, the club rebuilt around young players and returned to the Premier League through the play-offs in 2025. They play at the Stadium of Light, which opened in 1997.
