Régis Le Bris
Sunderland fans are buzzing with excitement as the club has secured a place in the Europa League following a thrilling victory over Chelsea on the final day of the season. With Brighton needing to qualify for the Conference League, Sunderland and Bournemouth have directly entered the Europa League group stage. The draw process will see teams placed into one of four pots based on their coefficients, with each team facing two opponents from each pot in both home and away matches. The bottom eight teams will be eliminated, while those ranked 16th to 24th will enter a two-legged knockout round.
Regis Le Bris said: “We struggled at times this season, had a really painful defeat here at home [against Nottingham Forest] and bounced back, worked hard and finally here’s the result. We feel the dynamic of the club. We are growing fast but the structure underneath is strong. We can’t say it’s perfect but we feel we are improving a lot. I repeat we have to stay humble. It’s going to be new challenges ahead but we won’t set a limit before. We’ll work hard and we’ll see.”
Regis Le Bris added: “It’s going to be a new challenge but I don’t want to set a limit before. We know it’s going to be tough in the Premier League first of all because the second season is hard, so let’s start with this idea, to be strong in the Premier League. Then after that we’ll have the Europa League which is a new challenge and chapter. We’ll see. It’s a bit early to anticipate what will happen in the summer but it’s clear we are well aligned.”
The Europa League draw is scheduled for August 28, 2026, with the group stage matches commencing on September 16-17, 2026. Subsequent matchdays are set for October 15, October 22, November 5, November 26, December 10, January 21, and January 28. The final will take place at the Waldstadion in Frankfurt on May 26, 2027.
Sunderland’s qualification marks a significant achievement for the club, as they continue to build on their recent successes. The challenge now lies in maintaining their momentum in both the Premier League and the Europa League. With a robust club structure and a determined squad, Sunderland is poised to tackle the upcoming season’s challenges head-on. The fans, players, and coaching staff are all eagerly anticipating what promises to be an exhilarating European campaign.
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