Sunderland will celebrate 20 years at the iconic Stadium of Light this weekend when they welcome Scottish giants Celtic for the Dafabet Cup.
Officially opened in July 1997, Saturday afternoon will see the home of Sunderland stage its first pre-season friendly since 2008. The game is a 3pm kick off and a lively, vibrant atmosphere is expected as thousands of Celtic fans travel south for the fixture.
The Stadium of Light ticket office will be open from 10am on Saturday morning for supporters wishing to buy tickets and cash turnstiles will also be available for Sunderland fans, adults only priced at £15.
Concession tickets must be purchased from the Stadium of Light ticket office.
Stadium turnstiles will open at 1.30pm and supporters are advised to arrive early to avoid queues or delays, especially if they have not pre-purchased a ticket.
Food and beverage outlets will be situated outside the south-east corner of the stadium, opening from 12noon. The Sheepfolds area will be used for coach parking, with a high volume of visiting supporters attending and there will be no access for vehicles, other than agreed coaches.
Being mindful of the volume of coaches expected, pedestrians are strongly advised to avoid the Sheepfolds area and instead access the stadium site via Millennium Bridge or Keir Hardy Way.
Public transport is expected to be busy on the day and in particular the Metro system, with fans from both clubs likely to be using the service. Supporters are therefore strongly advised to leave plenty of time for their journey.
St Peter’s Station affords easy access and is only a short walk from the stadium (please note, St Peter’s is closer than the Stadium of Light station). Further details are available at https://www.nexus.org.uk/metro/timetables-stations.
The matchday park and ride service will be operating from the retail park off the A1231. There is no parking available in the areas directly surrounding the stadium, but ample parking is available in Sunderland city centre however which is just a short walk from the stadium.
Tickets for the game are still available from the Stadium of Light ticket office, priced at £15 for adults, with over 65s just £12 and under 22s £7. Children under 16 can get a ticket for just £5. A family ticket (one adult & one child under 16) in the north-west corner of the stadium is available for £18.
HOW TO BUY TICKETS
Online: www.safc.com (24-hour service)
Telephone: 0371 911 1973 (24-hour service)
In-person: Stadium of Light ticket office, opening hours as listed -
Monday-Friday, 9am - 5pm
Non-matchday Saturday, 10am – 1pm
Matchday Saturday 10am-kick off
Sunday, CLOSED