SUNDERLAND will feature in the opening game of the new Football League season as they host Derby County on the Friday before the first full round of Championship fixtures.

The Black Cats’ return to the second tier after a ten-year spell in the top-flight will begin with a home game against the Rams on Friday, August 4.

The game will be televised on Sky Sports, with Sunderland’s opening away fixture seeing them make the long trip to Norwich City the following Saturday.

With the club still to appoint a managerial successor to David Moyes, it remains to be seen who is in the dug-out for those games, and today’s release of next season’s fixture list underlines just how important it is for owner Ellis Short to make progress with his takeover talks.

Sunderland’s opening midweek game of the new season will see them travel to Hillsborough to take on Sheffield Wednesday on August 15, and the opening month will conclude with matches against Leeds United and Barnsley.

There are six matches in a busy September, with the stand-out seeing the Wearsiders travel to another recently-relegated team, Hull City, on September 16.

The Tees-Wear derby at Middlesbrough’s Riverside Stadium is scheduled for November 4, with Sunderland due to be away on Boxing Day as they head to Sheffield United.

The Black Cats will head to Nottingham Forest on December 30, and will kick off 2018 with a home game against Barnsley on New Year’s Day.

Middlesbrough head to the Stadium of Light on February 24, with Sunderland’s trip to Elland Road to face Leeds scheduled for April 4.

Sunderland’s final away game takes them to Craven Cottage to face Fulham, while the season with end with a home match against Wolves on May 6.

Meanwhile, the Black Cats have had their Carabao Cup first-round tie switched for live television coverage.

Sunderland will head to Gigg Lane to take on the Shakers on Thursday, August 10.


SUNDERLAND’s 2017-18 FIXTURES:


Aug 4 DERBY (H)

Aug 12 Norwich (a)

Aug 15 Sheff Wed (a)

Aug 19 LEEDS (H)

Aug 26 Barnsley (a)

Sep 9 SHEFF UTD (H)

Sep 12 NOTTM FOREST (H)

Sep 16 Hull (a)

Sep 23 CARDIFF (H)

Sep 26 Ipswich (a)

Sep 30 Preston (a)

Oct 14 QPR (H)

Oct 21 Brentford (a)

Oct 28 BRISTOL CITY (H)

Oct 31 BOLTON (H)

Nov 4 Middlesbrough (a)

Nov 18 MILLWALL (H)

Nov 21 Aston Villa (a)

Nov 25 Burton (a)

Dec 2 READING (H)

Dec 9 Wolves (a)

Dec 16 FULHAM (H)

Dec 23 BIRMINGHAM (H)

Dec 26 Sheff Utd (a)

Dec 30 Nottm Forest (a)

Jan 1 BARNSLEY (H)

Jan 13 Cardiff (a)

Jan 20 HULL (H)

Jan 27 Birmingham (a)

Feb 3 IPSWICH (H)

Feb 10 Bristol City (a)

Feb 17 BRENTFORD (H)

Feb 20 Bolton (a)

Feb 24 MIDDLESBROUGH (H)

Mar 3 Millwall (a)

Mar 6 ASTON VILLA (H)

Mar 10 QPR (a)

Mar 17 PRESTON (H)

Mar 31 Derby (a)

Apr 2 SHEFF WED (H)

Apr 7 Leeds (a)

Apr 10 NORWICH (H)

Apr 14 Reading (a)

Apr 21 BURTON (H)

Apr 28 Fulham (a)

May 6 WOLVES (H)