Sunderland Premier League Odds 2025/26: Tough season expected for Black Cats
Will Jackson 
Sunderland have been made favourites to be relegated from the Premier League next season after the fixture list was released on Wednesday 18 June.
The Black Cats scraped past Sheffield United in the Play-Off Final at Wembley but are expected to have a tough season on their return to the top flight, with UK betting sites marking them down as favourites for the drop.
It promises to be a tough season for the three promoted clubs as they seek to reverse a recent trend of going immediately back down and even a gentle start to the season is unlikely to change things.
Sunderland Premier League Odds
| Market | Odds |
| Top Promoted Club | 4/1 |
| Winner | 2000/1 |
| Top Four | 200/1 |
| Relegation | 3/10 |
Top Promoted Club
It would only be natural for Sunderland to compare themselves to the other two teams promoted from the Championship this season, in Leeds and Burnley.
Both sides hit 100 points and were clearly the best sides in the division over the course of the season as they eventually ran away with the automatic places, but the gap between the three sides might not be as big as you'd immediately think.
Against Leeds, Sunderland were fortunate to draw but then lost to a very late brace from Pascal Struijk at Elland Road while against Burnley they won one and drew the other, at an aggregate of 1-0 over the two games.
With Sunderland losing ground early in the top two race, they decided to rest and rotate in preparation for Wembley so the gap between the three sides at the end of the season is not reflective of the respective qualities they all hold.
The lack of experience and smaller squad is likely to cost Sunderland this season - though if they can use the Jobe Bellingham money effectively that will be a huge factor - but they might not be as far adrift as you might imagine.
Yes Burnley have a strong defence, but there is some doubt over whether they have enough goals in their squad to win matches regularly in the Premier League whereas Leeds seemed to have a perfect blend of attacking threat and defensive solidity.
Given the promises and intent shown by the Leeds ownership already this summer, the Black Cats could have a hard time keeping up.
Winner
Sunderland have been priced at 2000/1 in some places to win the Premier League next season.
To put that into perspective, Leicester were 5000/1 before the season started in 2015-16, and their famous run to the title ended up being one of the most remarkable sporting stories ever seen - so maybe a little bit of hope for Sunderland fans!
In reality, bookies are a bit more reluctant to offer out huge odds after getting burnt so badly by the Foxes, and currently Sunderland have the longest odds out of anyone to win the league this time round.
European Qualification
Given the recent records of promoted teams in the Premier League, Sunderland fans shouldn't be setting their sights too high.
Five years ago Leeds had one of the best campaigns for a newly-promoted side in Premier League history and could only end ninth with 59 points, so that looks to be about the bar to set for the likes of Sunderland.
It is a club that you look at and can imagine that with several years of good management - both on and off the field - and smart acquisitions, they could develop into a club like Bournemouth or Brentford and establish themselves in the Premier League, but Europe would be another step up from that.
It is a very strong Premier League at the moment, so Sunderland finishing in the top six or seven could represent as big an achievement as Leicester winning the league...
Mid-Table Finish
In my opinion, this would be the best-case scenario for Sunderland next season and something fans would snap your hands off for right now.
The middle of the Premier League table last season was packed by teams who it is hard to see being dragged into a relegation battle, and in Manchester United and Tottenham two sides who are unlikely to be there next season.
It is a blow that Bellingham has left without having a year in the Premier League to try and establish the Black Cats - it seemed like their best chance of surviving was by growing with the talented group of young players, but they seem to be having them picked off one by one.
It looks as though some significant signings will have to be made in order for Sunderland to survive, but the money is there and clearly the talent ID is there, and it might be easier to see how Sunderland can survive and thrive at this level than someone like Burnley.
Relegation
The odds don't lie, everyone expects the three promoted clubs to go straight back down so Sunderland will immediately be up against it.
If you look at their fixture list too, you suspect we might know by the start of November which way their season is going, with games against West Ham, Burnley and Brentford to kick the season off likely to be a huge factor.
Lose those games and all of a sudden they'll be wondering where the wins are coming from and who they can finish above, and given the accumulated wealth over recent years of Premier League clubs, Sunderland are effectively fighting with one hand tied behind their backs.
Thomas Frank's departure to Tottenham may have given the new clubs a glimmer of opportunity though.
Yes the Premier League looks stacked with good squads, but with Brentford now without a hugely influential manager and the likes of Marco Silva and Andoni Iraola in demand, it's not hard to see how Bournemouth, Fulham and Brentford all slide down the table a little bit.
Sunderland will be hoping that at least, because their best hope against relegation is probably that an established club blows up, so to speak.
Finish Bottom
The logic suggests that whoever comes up through the play-offs will be favourites to finish bottom of the Premier League, as they were the third-best side in the Championship last season.
That stands to reason, and Sunderland will have to do some real strengthening to avoid getting cut adrift early and not just add players to their squad, but real quality.
But when I look at their squad, I see a young side who can grow, and a leadership team who is willing to invest in youth and let it flower - meaning they could uncover some gems that will really have their moments at whatever level.
Compare to someone like Burnley who could struggle for goals having struggled at a level down from the Premier League, and there are a few reasons to prefer the look of Sunderland.
A lot will depend on how they spend their money over the summer, because if they don't, then unfortunately it does look like it will be bottom place.
