Sunderland return to Europe as Milan meet Benfica on Europa League opening night
Sunderland are back in Europe after more than 50 years away.
The Black Cats host Dutch club AZ at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, in the opening round of the Europa League. Kick-off is at 20:00, with live coverage on the BBC from Nick Barnes and Gary Bennett MBE BBC Sport.
It is only Sunderland's fifth ever game in European competition BBC Sport. They qualified by finishing seventh in the Premier League last season. Granit Xhaka leads them out as captain.
This is new territory for a generation of supporters. Sunderland's only previous European campaign came in 1973-74, when they faced Vasas of Hungary and Sporting of Portugal The Guardian.
The format will feel unfamiliar too. The Europa League now begins with a league phase, with all 36 teams placed in one large table. Each club plays eight different opponents, so Sunderland are guaranteed eight fixtures before anything is decided.
The headline tie of the night is in Italy, where Milan host Benfica. Milan are seven-time European champions The Guardian. There is history here. Milan beat Benfica in the European Cup finals of 1963 and 1990.
Both Sunderland and Bournemouth have been drawn to face Milan among their eight league-phase matches. For Sunderland, that glamour tie is still to come. First comes AZ, and a home crowd getting its first taste of a European night in decades.
There is plenty else across the continent. Lyon travel to Anderlecht. Bayer Leverkusen host Celje of Slovenia. The early evening brings Ararat-Armenia against Sparta Praha and Omonia against Celta, both at 18:45. UEFA has split Matchday 1 across 16 and 17 September 2026, with the road ending at the final in Frankfurt.
What makes this stand out is the mix. One end has Milan and Benfica, two grand old names with trophies in the cabinet. The other has Sunderland, starting almost from scratch and playing only the fifth continental tie in club history.
For fans, this means a shared first. Ninety minutes under the lights, a Dutch side in town, and a city remembering what it feels like to be part of Europe again.
