Promoted Ipswich Town will kick off the 2026/27 Premier League season with a home match against Sunderland. Interestingly, the teams are separated by just one victory in their head-to-head record: Ipswich have claimed 25 wins while Sunderland trail with 24.
After finishing in second place in the Championship, Ipswich are back in the top flight, now under the management of Gary O'Neil, who took over from Kieran McKenna. Sunderland, on the other hand, come into the new campaign buoyed by a successful previous season that saw them finish seventh, earning qualification for the Europa League and their first taste of European competition since 1973.
The two clubs have faced each other a total of 58 times in official matches. Ipswich have claimed victory in 25 of those encounters, while Sunderland have won 24, with nine matches ending in a draw.
The rivalry traces its roots back to September 1958, when Ipswich celebrated a 2-0 victory in the Second Division. Up until the end of 1989, Ipswich held the upper hand in this contest, winning 15 of their 28 league meetings, with five draws.
However, fortunes shifted as the years went by. In the subsequent 30 encounters, Sunderland emerged victorious 16 times, drawing four. This era included two Cup victories for the Black Cats over Ipswich in 2001 and 2004.
In Premier League history, the two sides have met just four times, sharing the spoils with two wins each. Matches in the early 2000s were particularly memorable. In January 2001, Sunderland thrashed Ipswich 4-1, while the return fixture in December saw Ipswich exact revenge with a stunning 5-0 win at Portman Road – a record victory that still stands for the club in the Premier League.
Following their relegation, the teams met regularly in the Championship and League One. Ipswich dominated their encounters in the second tier, winning six out of ten matches, with one draw and three defeats. In the 2023/24 season, the Tractor Boys managed to triumph over Sunderland on two occasions, each time with a 2-1 scoreline.
Conversely, Sunderland found success in League One, amassing four wins and two draws from six meetings, with three of those matches resulting in clean sheets for the Black Cats.
This Saturday's match at Portman Road will mark their first Premier League meeting since the 2001/02 season, reigniting a fierce rivalry that will surely excite both sets of fans.
