Sunderland will step onto the Stadium of Light pitch on Wednesday for their first European match in 53 years, marking another extraordinary milestone in the club's dramatic resurgence.
Just over four years ago, the Black Cats were competing in League One, the third tier of English football. Now they are preparing for a Europa League campaign after completing a remarkable climb back to the top.
Sunderland earned promotion to the Championship in 2022 before returning to the Premier League through the play-offs in May 2025. They then exceeded expectations by finishing seventh in their first season back in the top flight.
The northeast club have a proud history, with only six teams having won more English top-flight titles. Sunderland have been champions six times, although their most recent triumph came in 1936.
During the 1950s, Sunderland became known as the "Bank of England club" because of their significant spending, but major success proved elusive.
Their last major trophy arrived in 1973, when they famously defeated Leeds United in the FA Cup final.
Despite decades without sustained success, Sunderland's passionate support rarely disappeared. The club regularly attracted crowds of more than 30,000 even during its years in League One.
Now the 49,000-capacity Stadium of Light, which opened in 1997, is once again hosting Premier League football and is preparing to stage continental competition for the first time.
The return to Europe represents another significant achievement under Kyril Louis-Dreyfus, the son of late Marseille owner and billionaire Robert Louis-Dreyfus. Louis-Dreyfus initially bought a stake in Sunderland in 2021 and has since increased his shareholding.
The appointment of Regis Le Bris as head coach in June 2024 proved transformative. The Frenchman guided Sunderland into the Premier League at his first attempt before overseeing their surprise seventh-place finish last season.
Led by captain Granit Xhaka, Sunderland are now preparing to host AZ Alkmaar following an inconsistent start to the new campaign.
"It's a symbol for the club. We are getting better, the momentum is big and for our fans it is going be crazy to be fair," Le Bris told TNT Sports.
"We are really proud to be in this position. We earned this opportunity last season with a great season. We had tough moments but at the end we stayed consistent."
Le Bris also highlighted the bond between the team and its supporters.
"It's important to show our desire, to show the city, our togetherness, the connection with our fans," he said.
For Sunderland supporters, the transformation of recent years has been remarkable.
Writing for the Wise Men Say website, Michael Lough described how supporting the club had changed from a difficult obligation into something capable of bringing genuine joy to supporters.
He also highlighted the sense of unity surrounding Sunderland, pointing to Le Bris' frequent use of the word "connected" and the renewed bond between the city, players, supporters and club.
Sunderland are not the only unexpected English representatives in this season's Europa League.
Bournemouth will play European football for the first time in their history after finishing sixth in the Premier League last season under Andoni Iraola.
Iraola subsequently departed to take charge of Liverpool, leaving Marco Rose to lead Bournemouth into their first continental campaign.
The south-coast club travel to Spain to face Real Sociedad on Thursday, although their domestic season has started frustratingly. Bournemouth are yet to win in the Premier League despite taking the lead in all four matches, with late goals repeatedly costing them points.
"Everyone here in Bournemouth is looking forward to this game," Rose said. "It's going to be a special night for the club against top opposition. I'm really proud to be part of this."
Crystal Palace complete the trio of English clubs in the Europa League after qualifying by winning the UEFA Conference League last season.
Premier League teams have enjoyed significant success in the competition in recent years, with Aston Villa and Tottenham winning the past two editions.
This season, however, England's less-fancied representatives could face a more even contest against established European heavyweights including AC Milan, Juventus and Benfica.
For Sunderland in particular, simply being back on the European stage represents an achievement few supporters could have imagined during the club's difficult years in League One.
After decades in the doldrums, the Black Cats are finally looking towards Europe again.
