Sunderland v Wednesday
Saturday 4 May
12:30pm
Championship
Stadium of Light
THE MATCH
The 2023/24 Championship season comes to a close on Saturday but as is the way with England’s second tier, much is to be decided in its final outing.
A five-game unbeaten run for Wednesday has seen us rise out of the relegation zone, with the Owls sitting in 20th place, three points above Birmingham.
Danny Röhl’s side need just one point from the Black Cats clash to confirm Championship status for 2024/25.
Should Wednesday lose, the Owls will remain in the second tier if either Birmingham or Plymouth fail to win their respective fixtures.
Sunderland are 15th in the league table, meaning they are guaranteed to avoid any final day drama in the promotion and relegation battles.
But a season finale win to send a large Wearside crowd home happy will no doubt be their motivation.
A victory could see the hosts, who have won one in their last six, rise to 13th with a defeat only realistically dropping them down one position given their goal difference.
TICKETS
Wednesday will be backed by 2,600 supporters in Sunderland. Our allocation is completely sold out and supporters should not travel to the game unless in possession of a valid matchday ticket.
We again remind fans of their conduct whilst following the Owls. Click HERE for details.
STADIUM OF LIGHT
Wednesdayites travelling to the game should arrive early in order to beat queues and allow safe passage into the stadium.
Supporters are also advised the Stadium of Light is a cashless venue, with only card payments accepted on kiosks.
MINUTE'S APPLAUSE
A minute's applause will be held ahead of kick-off on Saturday in memory of Sunderland legend Charlie Hurley.
We urge supporters to take their seats promptly so tributes can be observed appropriately.
TEAM NEWS
Wednesday: The Owls have no additional injury concerns following last week’s win over West Brom.
Michael Ihiekwe could return to the squad following a short stint on the sidelines through injury.
Ian Poveda will also be assessed ahead of the trip to Wearside as the Colombian returned to light training this week.
Sunderland: Interim boss Mike Dodds has confirmed Dennis Cirkin and Nazariy Rusyn will not feature on the final day.
The hosts will also be without longer-term absentees Dan Neil, Jensen Seelt, Elliot Embleton and Niall Huggins.
OFFICIALS
Referee: Gavin Ward
Assistant Referee 1: Lee Venamore
Assistant Referee 2: Andrew Fox
Fourth Official: Tom Nield
iFOLLOW
Supporters in the UK and overseas can watch our game with Sunderland live by purchasing a video match pass HERE.
Commentary is brought to you in association with BBC Radio Sheffield.
SOCIAL MEDIA
The hashtag for the match is #SUNSHW
Our X account @swfc will provide real time updates, with team news at 11:30pm.
Follow us on Instagram and subscribe and turn on notifications for our YouTube channel, where you can view extended match highlights.
Join the 63,000 Wednesdayites already on board with our WhatsApp platform!
LAST FIVE
29 September 2023 | Championship | Wednesday 0-3 Sunderland
10 August 2022 | Carabao Cup | Wednesday 2-0 Sunderland
9 May 2022 | League One Play-Off Semi-Final 2nd Leg | Wednesday 1-1 Sunderland
6 May 2022 | League One Play-Off Semi-Final 1st Leg | Sunderland 1-0 Wednesday
30 December 2021| League One | Sunderland 5-0 Wednesday
LOVE FOOTBALL, PROTECT THE GAME
The EFL have amplified the importance of all supporters acting responsibly when attending games.
The FA, Premier League and EFL will continue to promote the ‘Love Football. Protect the Game’ campaign, working with clubs, police forces and all relevant authorities to keep matchday environments safe.
Click HERE for full details.
Supporters are also urged to stay within EFL Ground Regulations, which can be found HERE
