Ipswich Town to face Sunderland in Premier League debut

Ipswich Town will host Sunderland on Saturday 22 August 2026 at Portman Road as they return to the Premier League for the first time after a £100m rebuild. Manager Gary O'Neil faces a squad with fitness concerns but a new attack, while Sunderland's Régis Le Bris will start with a fit squad after a seventh-place finish.

Match Overview

Ipswich Town will travel to Portman Road on Saturday 22 August 2026 for their first Premier League match since promotion. The game is scheduled to kick off at 15:00 BST and will be officiated by referee Farai Hallam with VAR Nicholas Hopton. The last time the two sides met, Ipswich won 2-1 in the Championship.

Managerial Context

Gary O'Neil is making his first competitive appearance in charge after replacing Kieran McKenna, who guided the club to back-to-back promotions before a disappointing season. O'Neil’s squad has been rebuilt with a reported spend of over £100m, a response to the immediate relegation the club suffered after its previous promotion.

Ipswich Town Squad

O'Neil’s side has two midfield fitness concerns: Azor Matusiwa and Jack Taylor, the latter nursing a pre-season knee issue. Aside from those doubts, the squad is in good health. The summer transfer window brought in Julio Enciso, Emersonn, Abdul Fatawu, Abdoul Ouattara and Sasa Lukic, among others. Jack Clarke, who scored 16 goals last season, remains central to the attack.

Sunderland Squad

Régis Le Bris has confirmed a significant fitness boost this week. Thomas Meunier, Omar Alderete and Nordi Mukiele are all available, though the manager noted they might not be risked from the start due to limited match sharpness. Simon Adingra is the only confirmed absentee, sidelined with an ankle injury sustained against Wrexham and is halfway through an estimated six-week recovery.

Form and Transfer Activity

Ipswich finished last season unbeaten across its final five matches, sealing automatic promotion with a 3-0 win over QPR. Pre-season friendlies have seen wins in four of the last five. Sunderland finished seventh, qualifying for the Europa League - the club’s second ever European campaign - and scored the fourth-fewest goals in the division, relying on defensive solidity. The squad saw little turnover, showing confidence in the group that over-performed.

Predicted Line-ups

Ipswich Town (4-3-3): Scherpen; Ouattara, O'Shea, Diop, Davis; Nunez, Lukic, Egeli; Fatawu, Emersonn, Maeda

Sunderland (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Meunier, Ballard, O'Nien, Reinildo; Sadiki, Xhaka; Hume, Le Fee, Angulo; Brobbey

Broadcast Information

The match is not expected to be broadcast live on television in the United Kingdom, in line with the traditional Saturday 3 pm blackout.

Final Note

The game will test Ipswich’s new squad depth and Sunderland’s ability to balance Europa League commitments with a demanding league schedule. The outcome will set the tone for both clubs’ Premier League campaigns.