Sunderland host Chelsea at the Stadium of Light on Sunday afternoon in a final-day clash that carries massive European qualification implications for both ambitious clubs.
Regis Le Bris has guided the Black Cats to the brink of a truly generational achievement. The hosts can secure European football for the very first time since 1974. They must win and hope other results go their way to claim a Conference League spot. Meanwhile, Chelsea travel north hoping to end a turbulent campaign on a positive note.
Interim boss Calum McFarlane takes charge for the final time before Xabi Alonso arrives. The Blues currently sit eighth, occupying the Conference League playoff position. However, they desperately want to leapfrog Brighton into seventh to secure Europa League football. This fixture represents the ultimate high-stakes scramble for continental qualification.
Sunderland vs Chelsea – Match preview and team news
- Date: Sunday, 24 May 2026
- Kick-off: 16:00 BST
- Venue: Stadium of Light
- Referee: Chris Kavanagh
- VAR: Matt Donohue
- Last Meeting: Chelsea 1–0 Sunderland (25 Oct 2025, Premier League)
Team news
Sunderland
Regis Le Bris faces a major defensive headache ahead of this crucial season finale. Centre-back Omar Alderete remains a massive doubt after suffering a hip injury against Everton. Dan Ballard will also serve the final match of his three-game suspension.
Luke O’Nien stands ready to fill the void in the heart of the defence. Chemsdine Talbi, Romaine Mundle, Bertrand Traore, and Simon Moore are completely ruled out. Granit Xhaka will anchor the midfield hoping to break his personal assist record. The Swiss veteran has provided six assists and aims for his seventh.
Chelsea
Calum McFarlane hopes to welcome back several key players for his managerial farewell. João Pedro and Levi Colwill both returned to first-team training on Friday afternoon. Pedro missed the recent victory over Tottenham Hotspur due to a minor knock. Club captain Reece James should also feature after sitting out the London derby.
Estevao Willian, Jesse Derry, and Jamie Gittens remain entirely sidelined through injury. Winger Mykhaylo Mudryk remains unavailable as he serves an ongoing domestic suspension. Enzo Fernández will retain his starting spot following a match-winning display on Tuesday.
Form
Sunderland
The Black Cats enter the weekend having taken five points from their last three games. They recently secured a 3-1 victory over Everton to snap a four-match winless streak. Le Bris’s side have shown incredible resilience throughout this demanding top-flight campaign.
They have recovered a league-high 22 points from losing positions in the Premier League. That tally is the second-most ever by a newly promoted side. However, home form remains a concern following four defeats in their last six home matches. They have scored just two goals during that difficult spell at the Stadium of Light.
Chelsea
Chelsea recently ended a disastrous seven-game winless streak by defeating Tottenham 2-1 on Tuesday. That crucial victory ended a terrible winless league run stretching back to March. The Blues want to win consecutive league games for the first time since February.
Midfielder Enzo Fernández enters the contest enjoying his best statistical Premier League season. He has registered 10 goals and four assists across a productive individual campaign. Chelsea have lost just one of their last 13 away league games against Sunderland. They hope to maintain that dominance to secure their desired European spot.
Predicted lineups
Sunderland Predicted XI: Roefs; Geertruida, Mukiele, O’Nien, Mandava; Xhaka, Sadiki; Hume, Le Fee, Angulo; Brobbey
Chelsea Predicted XI: Sanchez; James, Chalobah, Colwill, Cucurella; Caicedo, Santos; Neto, Palmer, Fernandez; Joao Pedro
How to watch Sunderland vs Chelsea?
In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports+, with coverage starting at 3.45pm. Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.
Read more – Every Premier League Player of the Season as Fernandes claims 2025/26 crown
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