Plan your visit to the Stadium of Light with North East Escapes. Tour Sunderland AFC's iconic home and find nearby Wearside holiday homes. |
Visit the Stadium of Light, Home of Sunderland AFC
The Stadium of Light is one of the largest football grounds in England and the beating heart of Sunderland, a city whose passion for its football club is as intense and deeply held as anywhere in the country. With a capacity of over 49,000, this riverside stadium has hosted some of the most memorable moments in Sunderland AFC's long history, and on matchday the noise and atmosphere generated by the Black Cats faithful is something every football fan should experience at least once. Stadium tours and the club museum give non-matchday visitors a vivid sense of the club's remarkable story and its central place in the identity of Wearside.
Sunderland AFC moved to the Stadium of Light from Roker Park in 1997, opening their new home on the banks of the River Wear on the site of the old Wearmouth Colliery, a connection with the city's mining heritage that is woven into the stadium's identity and symbolism. The stadium was expanded to its current capacity in subsequent years and has hosted international matches, concerts and major events alongside the regular football programme. Sunderland AFC, founded in 1879, has one of the most passionate and loyal fanbases in English football and a history that includes six league championships and a famous FA Cup victory in 1973 when as a Second Division side they defeated Leeds United 1-0 at Wembley.
Stadium tours take visitors into the home and away changing rooms, the players' tunnel and pitch-side areas, as well as the press facilities and corporate areas. The club museum tells the story of Sunderland AFC from its Victorian origins to the present, with exhibits covering the championship-winning teams, the great players and managers, and the extraordinary 1973 FA Cup triumph. The documentary series Sunderland 'Til I Die on Netflix has dramatically raised the profile and affection for the club internationally, and many visitors now make a pilgrimage to the stadium inspired by the series. The surrounding Wearside waterfront area is undergoing significant regeneration.
The Stadium of Light is located at Stadium of Light, Sunderland, SR5 1SU, approximately one mile north of Sunderland city centre, accessible by Sunderland Metro (Stadium of Light station) or by road. Stadium tours must be booked in advance via the club's official website. Matchday tickets are available through the club or accredited ticket agencies. The surrounding area has limited non-matchday facilities so most visitors head into Sunderland city centre for food and drinks.
North East Escapes offers holiday homes in the Sunderland and Wearside area, ideal for matchday visits, stadium tours and city breaks combining the Stadium of Light with the wider attractions of Tyne and Wear. The Sunderland area also offers access to the fantastic beaches of the Durham Heritage Coast at Seaham and Roker, the RNLI Volunteer Lifeboat Station, the National Glass Centre, and easy road and rail connections to Newcastle Upon Tyne, Durham and the broader North East region.
