Sunderland vs West Ham United: Kick-off time and how to watch
West Ham begin their Premier League campaign away from home as they take on Sunderland at the Stadium of Light.
The Black Cats will end their eight-year absence from the English top flight, having secured promotion by winning the play-off final.
Regis Le Bris’ side beat Sheffield United at Wembley and will be keen on staying in the Premier League beyond May 2026.
West Ham set to take on Sunderland on Saturday afternoon
Graham Potter’s side will take on Sunderland on Saturday, 16 August, at 3 pm BST.
The Englishman, who took over in January, led the Hammers to a 14th-place finish last term but acknowledges the team remains a work in progress.
The summer saw departures of key players like Mohammed Kudus and Michail Antonio, but new signings El Hadji Malick Diouf, Kyle Walker-Peters, Callum Wilson, Mads Hermansen and a permanent deal for Jean Clair-Todibo have bolstered the squad.
| Player | Cost (£) |
| El Hadji Malick Diouf | 19m |
| Kyle Walker-Peters | Free |
| Callum Wilson | Free |
| Mads Hermansen | 20m |
| TOTAL | 39m |
A strong pre-season, with four wins in five friendlies, including victories over Everton and Bournemouth, fuels optimism.
Despite a historically poor opening-day record, conceding 50 goals and losing 16 times, West Ham are unbeaten in their last eight league games against Sunderland.
With Crysencio Summerville and George Earthy sidelined, Potter may debut Hermansen in goal, while Jarrod Bowen aims to extend his scoring streak.
Sunderland themselves have had a busy summer and there could be a number of their players making their first-team debuts on Saturday afternoon.
How to watch: channel and stream
The upcoming match between Sunderland and West Ham will not be broadcast live on television due to the 3 pm blackout rule.
Sky Sports, the Premier League’s official broadcaster, will provide highlights of the game on their social media platforms post full-time.
Additionally, both clubs will release their own highlight packages on their respective channels in the UK in the days after the fixture.
Sign up for the West Ham Zone WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking West Ham United news sent straight to your phone.