SUNDERLAND
League Position History
Hover dots for season detail
DIVISIONS
Premier League
Championship
League One
League Two
Greyed bands on chart = division did not yet exist
OUTCOMES
Champions
Promoted
Promoted (play-offs)
Survived (play-offs)
Relegated
Relegated (play-offs)
Not re-elected
Re-elected / switch
Restructure
Mid-table
Sunderland
— Sunderland's Football League history
| Season | Competition | Position | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025/26 | Premier League | ||
| 2024/25 | Championship | Promoted (play-offs) | |
| 2023/24 | Championship | ||
| 2022/23 | Championship | Missed promotion (play-offs) | |
| 2021/22 | League One | Promoted (play-offs) | |
| 2020/21 | League One | Missed promotion (play-offs) | |
| 2019/20 | League One | ||
| 2018/19 | League One | Missed promotion (play-offs) | |
| 2017/18 | Championship | Relegated | |
| 2016/17 | Premier League | Relegated | |
| 2015/16 | Premier League | ||
| 2014/15 | Premier League | ||
| 2013/14 | Premier League | ||
| 2012/13 | Premier League | ||
| 2011/12 | Premier League | ||
| 2010/11 | Premier League | ||
| 2009/10 | Premier League | ||
| 2008/09 | Premier League | ||
| 2007/08 | Premier League | ||
| 2006/07 | Championship | Champions | |
| 2005/06 | Premier League | Relegated | |
| 2004/05 | Championship | Champions | |
| â–¸ Championship era begins | |||
| 2003/04 | Division One | Missed promotion (play-offs) | |
| 2002/03 | Premier League | Relegated | |
| 2001/02 | Premier League | ||
| 2000/01 | Premier League | ||
| 1999/00 | Premier League | ||
| 1998/99 | Division One | Champions | |
| 1997/98 | Division One | Missed promotion (play-offs) | |
|
Moved from Roker Park to Stadium of Light 29 Jul 1997
|
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| 1996/97 | Premier League | Relegated | |
| 1995/96 | Division One | Champions | |
| 1994/95 | Division One | ||
| 1993/94 | Division One | ||
| 1992/93 | Division One | ||
| 1991/92 | Division One | ||
| 1990/91 | First Division | Relegated | |
| 1989/90 | Second Division | Promoted (play-offs) | |
| 1988/89 | Second Division | ||
| 1987/88 | Third Division | Champions | |
| 1986/87 | Second Division | Relegated | |
| 1985/86 | Second Division | ||
| 1984/85 | First Division | Relegated | |
| 1983/84 | First Division | ||
| 1982/83 | First Division | ||
| 1981/82 | First Division | ||
| 1980/81 | First Division | ||
| 1979/80 | Second Division | Promoted | |
| 1978/79 | Second Division | ||
| 1977/78 | Second Division | ||
| 1976/77 | First Division | Relegated | |
| 1975/76 | Second Division | Champions | |
| 1974/75 | Second Division | ||
| 1973/74 | Second Division | ||
| 1972/73 | Second Division | ||
| 1971/72 | Second Division | ||
| 1970/71 | Second Division | ||
| 1969/70 | First Division | Relegated | |
| 1968/69 | First Division | ||
| 1967/68 | First Division | ||
| 1966/67 | First Division | ||
| 1965/66 | First Division | ||
| 1964/65 | First Division | ||
| 1963/64 | Second Division | Promoted | |
| 1962/63 | Second Division | ||
| 1961/62 | Second Division | ||
| 1960/61 | Second Division | ||
| 1959/60 | Second Division | ||
| 1958/59 | Second Division | ||
| 1957/58 | First Division | Relegated | |
| 1956/57 | First Division | ||
| 1955/56 | First Division | ||
| 1954/55 | First Division | ||
| 1953/54 | First Division | ||
| 1952/53 | First Division | ||
| 1951/52 | First Division | ||
| 1950/51 | First Division | ||
| 1949/50 | First Division | ||
| 1948/49 | First Division | ||
| 1947/48 | First Division | ||
| 1946/47 | First Division | ||
| 1939/40 | First Division | ||
| 1938/39 | First Division | ||
| 1937/38 | First Division | ||
| 1936/37 | First Division | ||
| 1935/36 | First Division | Champions | |
| 1934/35 | First Division | ||
| 1933/34 | First Division | ||
| 1932/33 | First Division | ||
| 1931/32 | First Division | ||
| 1930/31 | First Division | ||
| 1929/30 | First Division | ||
| 1928/29 | First Division | ||
| 1927/28 | First Division | ||
| 1926/27 | First Division | ||
| 1925/26 | First Division | ||
| 1924/25 | First Division | ||
| 1923/24 | First Division | ||
| 1922/23 | First Division | ||
| 1921/22 | First Division | ||
| 1920/21 | First Division | ||
| 1919/20 | First Division | ||
| 1914/15 | First Division | ||
| 1913/14 | First Division | ||
| 1912/13 | First Division | Champions | |
| 1911/12 | First Division | ||
| 1910/11 | First Division | ||
| 1909/10 | First Division | ||
| 1908/09 | First Division | ||
| 1907/08 | First Division | ||
| 1906/07 | First Division | ||
| 1905/06 | First Division | ||
| 1904/05 | First Division | ||
| 1903/04 | First Division | ||
| 1902/03 | First Division | ||
| 1901/02 | First Division | Champions | |
| 1900/01 | First Division | ||
| 1899/00 | First Division | ||
| 1898/99 | First Division | ||
|
Moved from Newcastle Road to Roker Park 9 Sep 1898
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| 1897/98 | First Division | ||
| 1896/97 | First Division | Survived (play-offs) | |
| 1895/96 | First Division | ||
| 1894/95 | First Division | Champions | |
| 1893/94 | First Division | ||
| 1892/93 | First Division | Champions | |
| 1891/92 | First Division | Champions | |
| 1890/91 | First Division | ||
|
Elected into the Football League 1 Jul 1890
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| 1879 | Sunderland founded | ||