Sunderland

Sheffield United and Sunderland meet at Wembley on Saturday (15:01 BST) as they look to secure promotion in the play-off final.

The Blades sailed past Bristol City to book their place, while it took a last gasp winner from Dan Ballard to see the Black Cats avoid a penalty clash with Coventry City.

Neither side have won a Championship play-off before but Sunderland did find their first play-off promotion in League One in 2022, while Sheffield United are still in search of their own slice of EFL play-off history.

• This is Sunderland's third second tier play-off final – they lost 1-0 to Swindon in 1989-90 (though still ended up being promoted due to Swindon's demotion) and lost on penalties to Charlton in 1997-98 after a 4-4 draw.

• This will be Sheffield United's fifth Football League play-off final and first since losing 8-7 on penalties to Huddersfield Town in League One in May 2012. Overall, the Blades have failed to earn promotion in any of their four previous finals, no side has appeared in more without ever earning promotion (4 also for Leeds United and Reading).

• Sheffield United finished 14 points ahead of Sunderland in the regular Championship season – it's the biggest points difference between two Football League play-off finalists in the current format (since 1988-89).

• The only previous meeting between Sunderland and Sheffield United in the play-offs came in the 1997-98 semi-final, with the Black Cats winning 3-2 on aggregate (1-2 away, 2-0 home) before losing the final on penalties to Charlton.

• Sheffield United have won five of their last seven meetings with Sunderland in all competitions (L2), though did lose the most recent fixture 2-1 in January.

• Having failed to win any of their seven competitive matches at Wembley Stadium between 1985 and 2019, Sunderland have won their last two at the ground – 1-0 against Tranmere in the 2021 Football League Trophy final and 2-0 against Wycombe in the 2021-22 League One play-off final.

• Sheffield United haven't won any of their last seven matches at Wembley Stadium (D1 L6), with their last win coming 100 years ago against Cardiff City in the 1925 FA Cup final.

• Sheffield United won both of their semi-final legs 3-0 against Bristol City, the only previous sides to score 3+ goals in three games of a Football League play-off campaign are Walsall in 1987-88 and Barnsley in 2015-16.

• Eliezer Mayenda has been involved in nine goals in his 13 starts for Sunderland in all competitions so far in 2025 (7 goals, 2 assists), including a goal and an assist in the Black Cats' 2-1 win over Sheffield United on New Year's Day.

• Callum O'Hare scored in both legs of Sheffield United's 6-0 aggregate victory over Bristol City in the semi-final. The last player to score in both semi-final legs and the final in a Championship play-off campaign was Bobby Zamora for West Ham in 2004-05.

Image source, Rex Features

Sunderland are in their first Championship play-off final since 1998, when they lost one of the most memorable ties on penalties to Charlton after a 4-4 draw.

Can the Black Cats return to the Premier League after eight years away?

former Sunderland players Darren Williams and Kieron Brady alongside Simon Pryde on BBC Radio Newcastle's Total Sport on Thursday (18:00 BST) as they look ahead to the final and hear from boss Regis Le Bris as well.

If you are not in BBC Radio Newcastle's broadcast area you can watch and listen online on the BBC Sport website and app, on the BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Sunderland's dramatic play-off semi-final win over Coventry City will have given them belief they can beat Sheffield United in Saturday's Championship final, according to former Reading and Crystal Palace winger Jobi McAnuff.

The Black Cats scored a last-minute goal against the Sky Blues to secure a 3-2 aggregate win and McAnuff, who lost a Championship final with Reading in 2011 before winning promotion the following season, thinks that could strengthen their resolve.

"Sunderland have the emotional story, the euphoria of that last-minute goal from Dan Ballard," McAnuff told the BBC's EFL podcast 72+.

"That's hard to quantify because, on the balance of play, they weren't the better team over the two legs but they found a way to win so you're bringing that belief you can win a game regardless of how they played."

Sunderland had considerably less possession than Coventry over the course of the semi-final including just 26% in their 2-1 victory in the first leg and McAnuff thinks it could be hard to beat the Blades if they play the same way at Wembley.

"I think Sunderland have shown the togetherness and belief to get through the semi-final - I just feel they need to keep the ball better so they're not doing as much work off the ball as they can be tough days if you're not seeing a lot of it."

Peter Farrer, the taxi driver from Netflix show Sunderland Til I Die, says Black Cats boss Regis Le Bris has "got to be given the praise" for guiding the club to the Championship play-off final.

The Frenchman's young squad face Sheffield United at Wembley on Saturday with the winner earning promotion to the Premier League.

Farrer, a Black Cats devotee who appeared regularly on the hit series covering the club, told BBC Radio Newcastle: "I think he's a very, very intelligent bloke.

"You never see him getting flushed. You never see him shouting his mouth off. He just does the job and you've got to in the second half of extra time [against Coventry in the semi-final second leg] he changed the tactics.

"He changed the way we were playing in that second half because they were on top, you couldn't dispute it - then of course, we scored."

Dan Ballard's last-second winner secured the aggregate win for Le Bris' side in a moment many are saying is among the best ever at the Stadium of Light.

"I've followed Sunderland since '64 and I've never been in an atmosphere like that in my life - the noise was unbelievable," Farrer added.

He also believes Sunderland should take heart from their previous meetings with the Blades this season.

"We got beat down there 1-0, [but] we beat them at the Stadium of Light," Farrer added. "So, they've won one, we've won one but I'll tell you the man who's got to be given the praise - the manager."

Listen to more from Farrer on BBC Sounds.

Image source, Rex Features

Earlier today, we asked you how many fourth-placed finishers in the Championship have managed to claim promotion in the play-off final since 1990.

The answer - eight!

Notts County in 1991, Leicester City in 1994, Charlton Athletic in 1998, QPR in 2014, Hull City in 2016, Fulham in 2020, Nottingham Forest in 2022 and Southampton in 2024.

Can Sunderland that list on Saturday?

Image source, Rex Features

Sunderland are looking for promotion back to the Premier League on Saturday when they meet Sheffield United in the Championship play-off final (15:01 BST).

The Black Cats finished fourth in the table this season - but how many sides who came fourth have gone on to win promotion in the final since 1990?

Come back to this page later today for the answer.

Image source, Rex Features

Premier League referee Chris Kavanagh will take charge of Saturday's Championship play-off final between Sheffield United and Sunderland.

The 39-year-old started refereeing in the EFL in 2014 before stepping up to the Premier League in 2017.

Saturday will be his second Championship final, having refereed the 2021 Wembley showpiece when Fulham beat Swansea City 2-0 and he sent off the Swans' Jay Fulton.

Kavanagh was also in charge for last season's EFL Cup final between Chelsea and Liverpool and has officiated in the Champions League, Europa League and Nations League.

All three play-off finals this year will include the use of VAR, semi-automated offside technology and in-stadia announcements.

Father Marc Lyden-Smith, the priest from Netflix show Sunderland 'Til I Die, says "There's a few extra candles been lit" in his church ahead of Saturday's Championship play-off final.

The Black Cats face Sheffield United at Wembley after beating Coventry City in the semi-final over two legs.

Fr Marc told BBC Radio Newcastle: "I'm feeling confident, actually.

"Last week, the match wasn't a great match but you don't all the nerves being shot and the anxiety and the worry because the last minute was so magical and now we're through to the final - all to play for and about time we returned to the big time."

Fans have quipped that Dan Ballard's extra-time winner was 'typical Sunderland' and that the club never do things the easy way.

But the Catholic parish priest of Seaham and Houghton-le-Spring isn't bothered how they win promotion to the Premier League so long as they do.

"I don't care as long as we that line," he said.

"It's been such a long time coming and I think most neutral people that watched Sunderland Til I Die, our fans throughout the world, we've got a great fanbase throughout the globe actually.

"People in the north east want the derby to be back. I'm sure there will be Newcastle fans hoping we get up, you never know. Lots of people are behind Sunderland on Saturday.

"I don't care how we get there as long as we cross that line and get back to where this club belongs, which is in the Premier League."

Religious or not, plenty of Sunderland fans will be praying for a win on Saturday.

Fr Marc said: "There's a few extra candles been lit, I've noticed. Lots of Sunderland fans have been popping and lighting candles and why not?

"And we have a new Pope. Sunderland are now unbeaten under Pope Leo, so that's exciting. The last Pope was a Sunderland fan, why can't we not claim this one as well, eh">