The 2025-26 Wise Men Say Predictions for Sunderland AFC!

Our annual tradition of predicting how Sunderland's season will go is back!

As our first season back in the Premier League since 2017 is set to get under way, we take our opportunity to make ourselves look like complete idiots as we attempt the impossible task of correctly predicting how Sunderland’s season will unfold.

If you want to see how wrong we have been before, here’s how we’ve predicted previous seasons – and boy, have we got it wrong…

RICHARD EASTERBROOK

It’s still scarcely believable that after all that’s happened, we’re back in the Premier League. The glow of that dramatic promotion at Wembley Stadium has not yet dulled and there remains a feel-good factor on Wearside.

It’s rare to be this excited for the start of a new season. Not just for what has come in terms of transfers – especially Granit Xhaka – but for what is happening off the pitch. The Stadium of Light is getting a much-needed lick of paint amongst other stuff, the new bridge connecting the city centre to the stadium will open soon, and the new mural commemorating our Til The End achievements is just the perfect addition. Added together, it all feels, well, big-time, doesn’t it?

Such excitement is usually punctured within minutes of kick-off on opening day, but this time, maybe because we know how difficult it’s going to be, it’s going to take a lot to deflate our spirits. (Cut to black screen, Sunderland 0-5 West Ham).

As long as our players give it their best go, the fans will stay on their sides. Staying up would be the cherry on the cake.

Predicted league position: 17th
Player to watch: Simon Adingra

JON ELLENOR

We’re back! After seasons filled with more heartbreak than a Love Island final, we are back into the Premier League. This season is going to be about staying up, winding up the mags, and making Gary Neville say “fair play to Sunderland” at least once.

Remember when our transfer budget was whatever loose change Ellis Short had in his glovebox? Well, those days are gone. This summer we’ve brought in Granit Xhaka, Enzo Le Fée, Simon Adingra, and a handful of other lads who sound like they’ve been signed straight out of Football Manager wonderkid lists.

Regis Le Bris might have the calm exterior of a man waiting for a bus, but that’s going to be tested to the max this season. I’ve got a feeling we’ll see his harder edge before the nights draw in and I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day is blaring out in the Bridges.

Predicted league position: 12th
Player to watch: Robin Roefs

STEPHEN KENNEDY

This is all very exciting, isn’t it? Gone are the days of trying to plug a defensive midfield gap with Josh Scowen or even a seemingly entirely broken Salis Abdul Samed, now we have Granit Xhaka and have spent roughly £5bn in one transfer window.

The Premier League has, however, chewed up and spat out promoted teams in recent years, so it’s going to be a slog of a season. Strangely though, I don’t think it’s one we need to fear – there’s zero pressure on us, and Le Bris has shown he’s adaptable enough to get wins from tricky opponents.

So, with a raft of genuine quality already through the door, and more likely to come, I’m backing us to sneak safety; relive the glory days of just about clinging on at the last second. Bring it on. Till the end, etc.

Predicted League Position: 17th
Player to Watch: Chemsdine Talbi

MATT WILSON

So, we’ve marked our first season back in the Premier League in 8 years by tackling the transfer window more aggressively than a Granit Xhaka sliding challenge. I don’t think anyone expected us to spend, at the time of writing, over £150m worth of new players this summer and few of us can honestly say we know a great deal about 80% of them.

Will buying essentially an entirely new first XI pay off, or should we be blending new acquisitions alongside more of the players who got us promoted in the first place? Time will tell, but it’s right to be cautiously optimistic.

All we need is for 3 teams to be worse than us over 38 games and I think Le Bris, and the squad he’s assembled, just might be able to do it.

Predicted League Position: 17th
Player to Watch: Omar Alderete

JIMMY REAY

The excitement is really building now. Once the dust settled following the best two weeks any of us are likely to have, thoughts turned to the very real and very scary prospect of that side having to compete in the Premier League.

Huge work was needed, and such work has been done. The squad has been transformed by a series of ambitious, well-funded and exciting transfers that have pushed us further than I ever thought they would.

We’re not just trying to survive, we’re trying to thrive. From Xhaka to Diarra, Alderete to Adingra there have been improvements made all over the pitch with more to come.

Given the fixture list, a fast start is essential and we’re putting our best foot forward in this regard. Roll on West Ham on Saturday. HAWAY!

Predicted League Position: 9th
Player to watch: Noah Sadiki

ELEANOR MCCABE

The end of last season was a glorious blur and I’m clinging to that positivity, drive and passion as we head into the Premier League. Behind the scenes, the graft has been unreal working to strengthen the squad for our big return. And Xhaka? I never thought we’d see that day, yet here we are.

Come Saturday, I’ll be back in the ground, singing my heart out, taking in the new paintwork and maybe testing those new E Bars (for research purposes, obviously). Let’s be honest, it’ll be a long season. Nobody knows what’s coming.

The goal’s simple: stay up. Anything more is a bonus. As long as the lads give it everything and fight for every ball, they’ll have our backing. This is our club, our comeback and we’re not here just to make up the numbers, we’re here to compete.

Predicted league position: 16th
Player to watch: Niall Huggins

JON LAMBERT

Eight long years away from the big time and we are finally back amongst the country’s finest (and Newcastle). After years of asset-stripping under the Donald/Methven regime and more laterally a long-term approach from the current owners, it has taken a lot of us by surprise that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has been making it rain with a spending splurge peak Jordan Belfort would be proud of.

The signing of Xhaka bucks the trend of the previous operating model and brings much needed and invaluable positive Premier League experience. The club has also done a raid on Africa bringing some high-calibre ballers in, which may come back to bite us come the new year when AFCON kicks in.

Despite this I feel early season points will stand us in good stead and we will be better than three teams, which is absolutely fine.

Player to Watch: Granit Xhaka
Position: 17th