Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar Prediction, Lineups and How to Watch

Sunderland’s first European match in 53 years brings AZ Alkmaar to the Stadium of Light on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, for the opening round of the UEFA Europa League league phase, with Mozambican defender Reinildo Mandava projected to start.

The match kicks off at 8:00 p.m. WAT / 7:00 p.m. GMT. Sunderland earned its place after finishing seventh in the Premier League last season, while AZ enter the campaign with an unbeaten domestic start.

Match	Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar
Competition	UEFA Europa League
Stage	League phase, Matchday 1
Date	Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Kickoff Time (WAT)	8:00 p.m. WAT / 7:00 p.m. GMT
Location	Stadium of Light, Sunderland
TV Channel	Check local listings
Live Stream	Check local listings

European football returns to Wearside after 53 years. The home side’s recent approach has centred on defensive organisation and controlled games, while the visitors have produced a more attacking start in the Netherlands.

Current form, availability and projected selections provide the main reference points.

Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar Kickoff Time in Nigeria and West Africa

Kickoff is 8:00 p.m. WAT in Nigeria. Ghana, Senegal, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Mali will have a 7:00 p.m. GMT start.

The venue is the Stadium of Light in Sunderland. The UK schedule lists 8:00 p.m. BST, which is the same clock time as WAT on September 16 because both are UTC+1.

Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar TV Channel and Live Stream in Nigeria

A confirmed Nigerian or West African TV channel is not established by the available fixture listings, so local listings should be checked rather than assigning a channel number.

For viewers in the United States, Paramount+ carries the live stream.

Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar Team News and Injury Update

Habib Diarra remains out for Sunderland with a hamstring problem. Romaine Mundle is also unavailable while recovering from knee surgery, with his return expected around the end of the year.

Denso Kasius is unavailable for AZ. Calvin Stengs has been managed carefully after returning to the starting XI for the first time this Eredivisie season against Willem II.

Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar Predicted Lineups

The projected home setup is a 4-2-3-1, with Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki in the deeper midfield roles and Enzo Le Fée operating behind Brian Brobbey.

AZ are also projected in a 4-2-3-1. Jordy Clasie and Peer Koopmeiners form the midfield base, with Calvin Stengs, Dave Kwakman and Ro-Zangelo Daal supporting Mexx Meerdink.

Sunderland Predicted Lineup and Formation

Manager: Régis Le Bris Formation: 4-2-3-1 Predicted XI:

		ST  Brian Brobbey
LW  Nilson Angulo		AM  Enzo Le Fée		RW  Thomas Meunier
	CM  Granit Xhaka		CM  Noah Sadiki
LB  Reinildo	CB  Nordi Mukiele		CB  Kenneth Danso	RB  Daniel Ballard
		GK  Robin Roefs

AZ Alkmaar Predicted Lineup and Formation

Manager: Leeroy Echteld Formation: 4-2-3-1 Predicted XI:

		ST  Mexx Meerdink
LW  Calvin Stengs		AM  Dave Kwakman		RW  Ro-Zangelo Daal
	CM  Jordy Clasie		CM  Peer Koopmeiners
LB  Mateo Chávez	CB  Wouter Goes		CB  Wesley Hoedt	RB  Seiya Maikuma
		GK  Jari De Busser

Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar Head to Head Record

This is the first competitive meeting between Sunderland and AZ Alkmaar. There is therefore no previous head-to-head result between them.

Sunderland vs AZ Alkmaar Form Guide

Sunderland’s four-match competitive run used for the preview contains a 1-2 defeat at Ipswich Town, a 1-0 win against Fulham, a 1-1 draw at Brentford and a 1-0 League Cup victory over Hull City. The side scored once in each match and conceded three goals across the sequence.

AZ won their first five Eredivisie matches against ADO Den Haag, Utrecht, Fortuna Sittard, Go Ahead Eagles and Heerenveen. The 1-1 draw with Willem II followed, leaving the Dutch side with 17 league goals from six games.

The projected selections account for the available players, but they do not establish one-for-one replacements for every absentee. Confirmed lineups will determine the final personnel shortly before kickoff.