History and description

The Stadium of Light was built in the mid 1990s as a replacement for Sunderland's old Roker Park, which lacked the necessary modernization and expansion capabilities. The Stadium of Light was built at a site a few hundred metres away from Roker Park, initially having a capacity of 42,000 seats.

On July 31, the stadium officially opened with a friendly match between Sunderland and Ajax (0-0).

The Stadium of Light was expanded in 2002 to a capacity of 49,000 seats. The stadium's design allows for further expansions to a maximum capacity of 66,000 seats, though no plans for such expansion exist at the moment.

How to get to the Stadium of Light

The Stadium of Light stands on the north bank of the River Wear. The city center and main railway station are located on the south bank. A person can arrive at the stadium by metro. The metro stations St. Peter's and Stadium of Light are both within short walking distance of the ground. After the match, northbound (Newcastle) going supporters need to board at Stadium of Light station, whereas southbound supporters need to board at St. Peters.

Furthermore, the following buses all stop within walking distance of the stadium: 2, 3, 4, 12, 13, 15 and 16.

Address: Stadium of Light, Sunderland, SR5 1SU

Eat, drink, and sleep near the Stadium of Light

The Stadium of Light is located in a British urban area, and while there are a few places around to get a drink or something to eat, e.g. at North Bridge St., you can just as easily do this in Sunderland's city centre which is only a short walk away. There are not many hotels in Sunderland, and none near the stadium. In the city centre Mowbray Guest House seems a very good alternative. Theoretically, it is within walking distance, but also close to the metro.

Alternatively, you can pick one of the hotels on the North Sea coast, which are about a 20- to 30-minute walk from the stadium. The Best Western Tavistock Roker Hotel and Roker Lodge are two options. The Balmoral & Terrace Guest Houses gets excellent reviews, but requires at least a three-night stay.

For all hotels near the Stadium of Light, please click here. Of course, if you do not care about regional rivalries, you can also stay in nearby Newcastle and catch a metro to the stadium. You can find the options in Newcastle's city centre here.

Sunderland Tickets

Ticket sales for Sunderland games can be done online, by phone + 44 (0) 871 911 1973, or at the Stadium of Light ticket office. Tickets are available at the ticket office before kick-off. Sunderland typically only sell out a few high-profile matches each season.

Ticket prices for category B matches are in between these two, with seats starting at £26.00. The majority of tickets, around 60%, are in category B. There are three types of tickets: C-level seats behind the goal or in the corners (which cost £25.00), A-level seats in the center of the pitch (which cost £32.00 - £40.00), and B-level seats which cost £26.00. Of all the tickets sold, around 60% are in category B.

You can find a stadium plan here. If you need more information, please call the ticket office at +44 (0) 871 911 1973.

Stadium of Light tours

Sunderland offer guided stadium tours that include a visit to the players' lounge, dressing room, players' tunnel, and dugouts. The tours last just over 60 minutes. Tour schedules run about once a month, but tend to occur more frequently during the summer holidays. For specific dates, availability, and bookings, please check out the Sunderland website or call the Tours Hotline at +44 (0) 191 551 5055.

The tour costs £10.00.

Relevant Internet links

Safc.com is the official website of Sunderland AFC. Visitors to Safc.com can find information on tours of the Sunderland area and public transport options in the area. Nexus.org.uk provides a journey planner with information on public transport in the Sunderland area, as well as links to other local resources. Kristen Burnett wrote: December 20, 2019 at 8:18 pm We made a weekend of it at the beautiful stadium in Sunderland 30 minutes walk from the city center. The fans are friendly and our bets won, so we had a class meal, pubs, and even a party for a family day out.

We made a weekend of it by going to Sunderland v Blackpool football stadium. The fans were friendly and our bets always won, so we had a great meal in some pubs and even had a party for a family day out.

Nigel Stooke wrote: 1 March 2016 at 5:55 pm The stadium is great and the atmosphere is amazing. My dad enjoyed his last visit before he died and he was a longtime supporter.

The stadium and atmosphere are both great. My Dad enjoyed his last visit before he died, and he will always be grateful for the life-long support that I gave him.

Gaz wrote: The stadium is great and the atmosphere is excellent. The good family zone is great, and the price range is excellent depending on what you want. However, the seats need replacing (they've faded) and the away fans are housed in the top tier, which makes them out of the way.

The stadium is great with an atmosphere and good family zone. The price range depends on what you want but it's excellent. The downside is that seats need replacing (they've faded) and the away fans are housed in the top tier, which makes them out of the way.

The supporters cheered and sang even when the Newcastle team equalised in our game against them. I would rate it 5 out of 10.

When we won 2-1 against Newcastle, the supporters never stopped cheering and singing even when the Geordies equalised. I would rate it 5.25 out of 10.