Sunderland Win First European Match in 53 Years, Beat AZ 1-0

Sunderland beat AZ Alkmaar 1-0 at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday 16 September 2026, ending a 53-year absence from European football with a victory.

Enzo Le Fée settled the UEFA Europa League league phase opener from the penalty spot in the 66th minute. The midfielder won the kick himself after being brought down inside the box and then sent the AZ goalkeeper the wrong way, according to Sky Sports' match report. Goal reported that Noah Sadiki supplied the pass that released Le Fée and that AZ substitute Weslley Patati committed the foul.

In its round-up of the opening matchday, UEFA put the result plainly: the Black Cats \"were back in Europe for the first time since 1973.\" Sunderland's previous continental campaign was the 1973/74 European Cup Winners' Cup, which they entered as FA Cup holders after beating Leeds United in the 1973 final. They eliminated Hungary's Vasas 3-0 on aggregate before going out to Sporting CP in the second round, winning 2-1 at Roker Park and losing 2-0 in Lisbon.

Manager Régis Le Bris called it a good night for the club and its supporters, Sky Sports reported, after a first half his side dominated and a second in which they had to absorb pressure from the Dutch visitors.

Why it matters: the Europa League is now decided first by a single 36-team league phase in which every club plays eight different opponents. The top eight go straight into the round of 16, while the teams placed ninth to 24th must survive a knockout play-off round before they get there. Three points in the first match are therefore worth more than the scoreline suggests, because they give a club with no recent European habit room to lose matches later. UEFA's schedule sends Sunderland to Torreense on 15 October, to Lech Poznań on 22 October and to Milan on 10 December, with home fixtures against Dinamo Zagreb, Jagiellonia and Anderlecht and a closing trip to Levski Sofia on 28 January 2027.

Across the two days of matchday one, Benfica won 2-0 at Milan for what UEFA said was their first victory over the Italian club at the seventh attempt, Juventus beat NEC 5-0, Beşiktaş beat Marseille 4-1 in Istanbul, Crystal Palace beat Lech Poznań 4-0 and Ferencváros won 3-1 at Celtic. Sunderland finished the round among the clubs on three points.

Their next European match is away to Torreense of Portugal on 15 October 2026.