Sunderland Association Football Club, an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, was founded in 1879. They joined The Football League in the 1890–91 season replacing Stoke who had failed to be re-elected, making Sunderland the first new club to join the league since its inauguration in 1888. Sunderland remained in the football league for 106 years, albeit in different divisions, until 1996 when they were promoted to the Premier League, which replaced the Football League's First Division at the top of the English football league system in 1992. Since then the club has been relegated back into The Football League on four occasions. They currently compete in the EFL Championship after promotion from EFL League One in the 2021–22 season.

Sunderland's first team, nicknamed the Black Cats, have competed in a number of nationally contested leagues, and their record against each club faced in those competitions is summarised below. Sunderland played their inaugural league fixture as part of the 1890–91 Football League on 13 September 1890 against Burnley. They met their most recent different league opponent, Morecambe, for the first time in the 2021–22 EFL League One season.

The team that Sunderland have played most in league competition is Aston Villa, against whom they have contested 170 league matches. Villa, Newcastle United and West Bromwich Albion have contested the most draws with Sunderland, having tied 44 games. The Black Cats have won 65 of the league matches against Everton and Stoke City which represents the most they have won against any club. Everton are also the teams to defeat Sunderland the most with 73 wins over them.

Key The table includes results of matches played by Sunderland in the Football League and the Premier League. For the sake of simplicity, present-day names are used throughout: for example, results against Newton Heath, Small Heath and Woolwich Arsenal are integrated into the records against Manchester United, Birmingham City and Arsenal, respectively Teams with this background and symbol in the "Club" column are competing in the 2023–24 EFL Championship alongside Sunderland Clubs with this background and symbol in the "Club" column are defunct P = matches played; W = matches won; D = matches drawn; L = matches lost; F = Goals scored (For); A = Goals conceded (Against); Win% = percentage of total matches won The columns headed "First" and "Last" contain the first and most recent seasons in which Sunderland played league matches against each opponent

All-time league record Statistics correct as of matches played on 4 May 2024.

+Sunderland A.F.C. league record by opponentClubHomeAwayTotalWin%FirstLastNote(s)PWDLPWDLPWDLFAAccrington 3210 3201 1890–911892–93Accrington Stanley312043102018–192021–22AFC Wimbledon431032102018–192021–22Aldershot 1100 1001 1987–881987–88Arsenal70292318 70151738 1904–052016–17Aston Villa85392521 85151951 1890–912017–18Barnsley141013 14527 1958–592018–19Birmingham City 5637910 56151328 1894–952023–24Blackburn Rovers 6644814 66181830 1890–912023–24Blackpool3215107 3191012 1930–312022–23Bolton Wanderers69421611 69151737 1890–912021–22412143011988–892016–17Bradford City20893 201028 1908–092018–19Bradford Park Avenue3210 3021 1914–151920–21Brentford8413 8431 1935–362017–18Brighton & Hove Albion171142 173311 1958–592004–05Bristol City 238105 235612 1906–072023–24Bristol Rovers15960 15339 1958–592020–21Burnley5228159 52131326 1890–912022–23Burton Albion503242022017–182021–22Bury282035 2810513 1895–961998–99Cambridge United5221 5212 1978–792021–22Cardiff City 32121010 3210517 1921–222023–24Carlisle United6411 6222 1970–711985–86Charlton Athletic4020911 4071419 1936–372021–22Chelsea60291021 6091140 1907–082016–17Cheltenham Town1100 1001 2021–222021–22Chester City 1001 1100 1987–881987–88Chesterfield1100 1010 1987–881987–88Colchester United1100 1001 2006–072006–07Coventry City 20893 202711 1967–682023–24Crewe Alexandra6510 6411 1997–982021–22Crystal Palace18783 185310 1969–702016–17Darwen 2200 2200 1891–921893–94Derby County65411212 65161534 1891–922017–18Doncaster Rovers5311 5410 1987–882021–22Everton82461521 82191152 1890–912016–17Fleetwood Town422040312018–192021–22Fulham2912116 2911612 1949–502017–18Gillingham7430 7511 1987–882021–22Glossop North End1010 1100 1899–19001899–1900Grimsby Town241563 241266 1901–021998–99Huddersfield Town 4224135 42121416 1920–212023–24Hull City 221147 22877 1959–602023–24Ipswich Town 281738 285617 1958–592023–24Leeds United 4322615 4391222 1924–252023–24Leicester City 43181411 4312724 1908–092023–24Leyton Orient141031 14356 1958–591979–80Lincoln City6222 6222 1958–592021–22Liverpool80331532 80182240 1894–952016–17Luton Town251393 2511410 1955–562022–23Manchester City66351120 66121143 1899–19002016–17Manchester United64271522 64121438 1892–932016–17Mansfield Town2200 2200 1977–781987–88Middlesbrough 68381713 68191831 1902–032023–24Millwall 191144 19478 1970–712023–24Milton Keynes Dons310232102019–202021–22Morecambe1100 1100 2021–222021–22Newcastle United71262520 71211931 1898–992015–16Northampton Town4211 4112 1963–642020–21Norwich City 261178 265615 1960–612023–24Nottingham Forest4424128 44131021 1892–932017–18Notts County3721106 3751220 1890–911994–95Oldham Athletic201244 202108 1910–111995–96Oxford United171142 17854 1970–712021–22Peterborough United4310 5122 1992–932020–21Plymouth Argyle 161213 16547 1959–602023–24Port Vale7340 7331 1987–881998–99Portsmouth53261710 53121625 1927–282021–22Preston North End 5633176 56141527 1890–912023–24Queens Park Rangers 19874 196310 1968–692023–24Reading10523 10325 1986–872022–23Rochdale330032102018–192020–21Rotherham United 13751 12534 1958–592023–24Scunthorpe United7610 7043 1958–592018–19Sheffield United65401411 65171038 1893–942022–23Sheffield Wednesday 59321116 59161627 1892–932023–24Shrewsbury Town7520 8422 1979–802021–22Southampton 291388 295717 1960–612023–24Southend United9504 8503 1987–882019–20Stockport County2200 2110 1997–981998–99Stoke City 7145179 71201635 1891–922023–24Swansea City 17755 17467 1958–592023–24Swindon Town13931 13436 1963–642020–21Tottenham Hotspur54221616 54131328 1909–102016–17Tranmere Rovers8521 8206 1991–922019–20Walsall6411 6222 1961–622018–19Watford 211263 213108 1970–712023–24West Bromwich Albion 78402513 78201939 1890–912023–24West Ham United41201011 4191319 1923–242016–17Wigan Athletic13634 13544 1987–882022–23Wimbledon 5311 5113 1985–862003–04Wolverhampton Wanderers56311411 56151328 1890–912017–18Wrexham2110 2200 1978–791979–80Wycombe Wanderers321030212018–192021–22York City3300 3201 1974–751987–88

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