Sunderland’s first European home game since 1973 kicks off at the Stadium of Light at 20.00 BST tonight, and here is how to watch the Sunderland v AZ Alkmaar live stream.
| Live Streaming | Date | Kick off Time | TV Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunderland v AZ Alkmaar | 16 September 2026 | 20.00 BST | TNT Sports 1 |
Sunderland v AZ Alkmaar on TV: Live Stream Details
Sunderland v AZ Alkmaar is on TNT Sports 1, with the game also carried on TNT Sports Ultimate and streamed through HBO Max. Kick off at the Stadium of Light is 20.00 BST on Wednesday 16 September 2026, on the opening matchday of the Europa League league phase.
Five seasons ago Sunderland were playing in the third tier of English football. Tonight they host the holders of the Dutch cup in the Europa League, which covers most of what has happened on Wearside since, and seventh place in the Premier League last season was the leap that got them here.
It is their first fixture in UEFA competition since 1973. The last European night at this ground came in the Cup Winners’ Cup, so there will not be many in the stands tonight who saw the previous one.
Domestic form has been patchy rather than bad. Two wins, a draw and two defeats from five games in all competitions is the record, most recently a 1-0 cup win over Hull City followed by a 2-0 home defeat to Arsenal on Saturday that left Regis Le Bris frustrated at going toe to toe with the champions and getting nothing for it.
Home form has been the weak point of their season so far, and Manchester City away comes next.
Habib Diarra and Romaine Mundle are both still injured, while Chemsdine Talbi, Jocelin Ta Bi, Melker Ellborg, Alan Browne and Aji Alese were all left out of the Europa League squad entirely. Reinildo Mandava was sent off against Arsenal but the suspension only applies domestically, so he is available, and Malick Fofana is pushing hard for a first start.
AZ finished seventh in the Eredivisie last season and are in this competition anyway, having won the KNVB Beker by taking NEC apart in April’s final. Leeroy Echteld then beat champions PSV Eindhoven 4-0 in the Johan Cruyff Shield for good measure.
They have made an excellent start in the league, beating Den Haag, FC Utrecht, Fortuna Sittard, Go Ahead Eagles and Heerenveen before Willem II equalised late on Friday. That leaves them second and right on PSV’s shoulder. Ro-Zangelo Daal has been scoring regularly.
Kees Smit misses out with a groin problem, as do Denso Kasius and Stije Resink, and goalkeeper Hobie Verhulst is ineligible. Jordy Clasie, once of Southampton, captains the side.
What might encourage the home crowd is how badly this has tended to go for AZ against English clubs over the years.
They were beaten at Crystal Palace in the Conference League last season, though they did see off Tottenham at home in a Europa League tie the year before that.
