Sunderland kick off the new Championship season when they take on Ipswich Town on Sunday.

Tony Mowbray’s side made the play-offs last term, and will be looking to kick on again over the course of the next nine months and make it back to the Premier League.

Here are all the details you need to know about Sunday’s game…


WHERE IS THE GAME TAKING PLACE?

Sunderland have been handed a home game on the opening weekend of the season so Sunday’s game will be staged at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats have been at home on the opening day in each of the last six seasons – and were unbeaten in all of those games.

Sunderland boast an excellent home record against Ipswich, having lost just one of their last 11 home matches against the Suffolk club. Their most recent meeting on Wearside came in November 2021, and saw late goals from Luke O’Nien and Aiden McGeady secure a 2-0 victory.


WHAT TIME IS KICK-OFF?

Sunday’s game kicks off at the somewhat unusual time of 5pm.


ARE TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE?

Yes – tickets are still available for Sunday’s game, and can be bought via the ticketing section of Sunderland’s official website or from the box office at the Stadium of Light. The box office will be open from 11am to 4pm on Saturday and from 11am to kick-off on Sunday.

Adult tickets are priced from £32, with Over-65s from £29, Under-22s from £24 and Under-16s from £14.


IS THE GAME BEING TELEVISED OR STREAMED LIVE?

Yes – Sunday’s game is being televised live on the Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football channels.

With the match having been selected for live broadcast, there will be no domestic streaming service available. Radio coverage will be available on BBC Radio Newcastle, and Scott Wilson will be at the Stadium of Light for The Northern Echo producing a live blog, report, reaction and analysis that will be available on The Northern Echo’s website.


WHAT IS SUNDERLAND’S LIKELY LINE-UP?

With none of Sunderland’s injured players set to be available, Tony Mowbray is likely to name the same starting line-up that kicked off last weekend’s home friendly with Real Mallorca.

That will mean Luke O’Nien getting the nod to start alongside Dan Ballard at centre-half, with Danny Batth expected to be on the bench.

Summer signing Bradley Dack will not feature in the starting line-up, but could be on the bench, while Isaac Lihadji has not been considered for selection as he completes his proposed move to Qatari side Al-Duhail.

Sunderland (probable, 4-2-3-1): Patterson; Hume, O’Nien, Ballard, Cirkin; Neil, Ekwah; Roberts, Bellingham, Clarke; Hemir.


HOW ARE IPSWICH SHAPING UP?

Having been promoted from League One last season, Ipswich Town have been widely touted as potential promotion candidates this term, such has been the extent of their rise under highly-regarded head coach Kieran McKenna.

The Tractor Boys have made some eye-catching summer signings, most notably bringing in midfielder Jack Taylor from Peterborough United, Chelsea playmaker Omari Hutchinson and re-signing former loanee George Hirst.

They are set to be without their first-choice goalkeeper on Wearside, though, with Christian Walton nursing a foot injury. Vaclav Hladky is expected to deputise between the sticks.

Ipswich (probable, 3-4-3): Hladky; Edmondson, Woolfenden, Burgess; Jackson, Morsy, Taylor, Davis; Chaplin, Hirst, Hutchinson.