Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar - prediction, team news, lineups

By Oliver Thomas | 14 Sep 2026 18:15, Last updated: 14 Sep 2026 18:18

Sunderland begin their first European campaign in 53 years on Wednesday night when they welcome AZ Alkmaar to the Stadium of Light for matchday one in the Europa League.

The Black Cats were beaten on home soil by Premier League champions Arsenal last weekend, while the Cheese Farmers preserved their unbeaten domestic run with an Eredivisie draw against Willem II last Friday.

Sunderland were competing in the third division of English football only five seasons ago, but they are now gearing up for their first campaign in UEFA competition since 1973 after exceeding expectations to secure seventh place in the Premier League last season.

The Black Cats have since made a mixed start to the new season, with two wins, one draw and two defeats posted across their opening five domestic matches in all competitions, most recently following up a 1-0 EFL Cup win over Hull City with a 2-0 league defeat at home to Arsenal on Saturday.

Sunderland have now lost five of their last nine Premier League matches at the Stadium of Light (W3 D1), and head coach Regis Le Bris was left “frustrated” after his side came away empty-handed from a fixture where they went “toe-to-toe” with the reigning champions.

A tricky trip to Man City is just around the corner for the Black Cats, but their attention must now turn to this week’s eagerly-anticipated League Phase opener in the Europa League, and their first European fixture on home soil since beating Sporting Lisbon 2-1 in the first leg of a 1973 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup second-round tie (before going on to lose 3-2 on aggregate).

Preparing for their first competitive encounter against Dutch opposition, Sunderland will be regarded as somewhat of an unknown quantity on the continent, but Le Bris will know that transforming the Stadium of Light into a fortress is paramount if they are to secure a top-eight finish in the 36-team League Phase.

Despite finishing down in seventh place in the Eredivisie last season, AZ Alkmaar have qualified for the Europa League this term after winning the KNVB Beker for the fifth time in their history, courtesy of a 5-1 triumph over NEC in the final in April.

Leeroy Echteld then steered the Cheese Farmers to a statement 4-0 win over Eredivisie champions PSV Eindhoven in the Johan Cruyff Shield, and they have since made their joint second-best start to a top-flight campaign, winning five and drawing one of their opening six league games.

Maximum points were collected against Den Haag (2-0), FC Utrecht (4-1), Fortuna Sittard (2-0), Go Ahead Eagles (5-2) and Heerenveen (3-2) before AZ were held to a 1-1 home draw by Willem II last Friday after conceding an 81st-minute goal.

Sitting second in the table and level on points with PSV at the summit, AZ are gearing up for their ninth campaign in the Europa League, while they progressed to the quarter-finals of the Conference League last season, losing 5-2 on aggregate to Shakhtar Donetsk.

AZ travel to the North East this week with a poor record against English opposition in European competition, winning only three of their previous 22 matches (D5 L14). They most recently suffered a 3-1 away defeat to Crystal Palace in the League Phase of last season’s Conference League, a year after beating Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 at home in the first leg of a Europa League last-16 tie.

Sunderland are still having to cope without injured duo Habib Diarra (thigh) and Romaine Mundle (knee), while Chemsdine Talbi, Jocelin Ta Bi, Melker Ellborg, Alan Browne and Aji Alese have all been omitted from the club’s Europa League squad.

Reinildo Mandava was sent off in the closing stages of the defeat to Arsenal, but the left-back will only serve a domestic ban and is therefore available to play on Wednesday.

Le Bris is likely to name a strong side including the likes of Robin Roefs, Nordi Mukiele, Granit Xhaka, Enzo Le Fee and ex-Ajax striker Brian Brobbey, while new signing Malick Fofana will be hoping to force his way into the first XI for the first time.

As for AZ Alkmaar, key midfielder Kees Smit is set to miss out with a groin injury, while right-back Denso Kasius (groin), midfielder Stije Resink (knee) and goalkeeper Hobie Verhulst (ineligible) are all unavailable for selection.

Ro-Zangelo Daal has scored a team-high five goals in seven games so far this term and he is expected to continue on the left side of a front three next to striker Mexx Meerdink and Calvin Stengs on the right.

Captain Jordy Clasie, formerly of Southampton, is set to link arms with Peer Koopmeiners and Dave Kwakman in midfield, while a centre-back pairing of Lewis Schouten and Wouter Goes is expected to remain intact.

Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Danso, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Angulo, Le Fee, Fofana; Brobbey

De Busser; Dijkstra, Goes, Schouten, Chavez; Clasie, Koopmeiners; Stengs, Kwakman, Daal; Meerdink

Sunderland will be backed by a vociferous home crowd as they celebrate their long-awaited return to the European stage, but a well-organised and clinical AZ Alkmaar side represents a stern test for the hosts.

Given the Black Cats' recent inconsistencies alongside the visitors' exceptional domestic form, we feel that a tightly-contested affair on Wearside will ultimately see the two teams cancel each other out, forcing them to share the spoils on matchday one.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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