Our Grounds

Home stadiums since 1879

Blue House Field

1879–1882

The absolute origin — Sunderland's first home, used for local amateur matches against regional schoolmaster sides.

Era: The club's founding home as a teachers' association side
Admission: Completely free — zero recorded official attendances
Use: Primarily amateur fixtures against regional schoolmaster sides

Groves Field / Horatio Street

1882–1885

One of several transitional grounds used as the young club moved around before settling.

Era: A transitional home in the club's amateur years

Abbs Field, Fulwell

1885–1886

The historic turning point — the first ground where Sunderland charged admission, after turning professional.

Milestone: First ground where Sunderland charged a gate fee
Admission: A strict 3 pence per ticket, marking the move to professionalism

Newcastle Road

1886–1898 · 15,000

Home during Sunderland's rise to become 'the Team of All the Talents', and the pitch where the club's first league titles were won.

The Golden Era record: 128 competitive matches played here, lost only 12 — one of the most feared home records in Victorian football
First Football League title: Secured on this pitch in 1891–92, followed by 1892–93 and 1894–95
Peak capacity: 15,000 fans, packed along dirt banks and small wooden stands

Roker Park

1898–1997 · Approx 60,000 (peak)

Sunderland's iconic home for 99 years — a World Cup 1966 venue and the scene of the club's record crowd.

Years as home: 99 years
All-time record attendance: 75,118 on 8 March 1933, an FA Cup sixth-round replay v Derby County (won 1–0)
1966 World Cup: Hosted 4 tournament matches including the USSR v Hungary quarter-final — total gate of 103,450 across the four games
Final match: 13 May 1997, a 3–0 friendly win over Ajax; the last competitive goal came in a 1–0 win over Everton
Capacity collapse: From a peak of 60,000–70,000 standing down to a final all-seater safety capacity of 22,500 by 1997, following the Taylor Report

More history

Roker Park was a football ground in Roker, Sunderland, England, which was the home of Sunderland from 1898 to 1997, before the club moved to the Stadium of Light. Its final capacity was around 22,500, with only a small part being seated; it had been much higher, attracting a record crowd of 75,118. — Wikipedia

Stadium of Light

1997–present · 49,000

Built on the former Wearmouth Colliery and named in tribute to the area's mining heritage — one of England's largest club grounds.

Official opening: 30 July 1997, a 0–0 friendly with Ajax
First competitive match: 15 August 1997, a 3–1 league win over Swindon Town — Chris Waddle scored the first goal here
Record football attendance: 48,353 on 13 April 2002 v Liverpool (lost 1–0)
Record event attendance: Over 55,000 for concerts such as Beyoncé's Renaissance World Tour in 2023
Expansion: Enlarged in 2000 from the original 42,000 with the North Stand upper tier, reaching 49,000 seats
England internationals: Hosted 3 senior England men's games: 2–0 v Italy (1999), 2–0 v Turkey (2003) and 2–1 v Australia (2016)

More history

The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England, and the eighth and current home to Premier League club Sunderland. With seating for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light is the 10th largest football stadium in England. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland home matches. The stadium was named by chairman Bob Murray to reflect the coal mining heritage of the North East and the former Monkwearmouth Colliery site on which it stands. A Davy lamp monument stands at the entrance to reflect the coal mining industry that brought prosperity to the town. As well as hosting Sunderland games, the stadium has hosted three matches for the England national football team, as well as an England under-20, an England under-21 and two England women's team matches. With an original capacity of 42,000, it was expanded in 2000 to seat 49,000. Its simple design is apparently to allow for redevelopments up to a capacity of 64,000. The attendance record at the Stadium of Light is 48,353 set on 13 April 2002, when Sunderland played Liverpool with the visitors running out 1–0 winners. Along with hosting football matches, the stadium has played host to performers such as Beyoncé, Rihanna, Oasis, Take That, Kings of Leon, P!nk, Coldplay, Spice Girls and Elton John. The ground also holds conference and banqueting suites, the Black Cats Bar, and a club shop selling Sunderland merchandise. — Wikipedia