Sunderland confirm pre-season start with World Cup players to rejoin in stages | OneFootball

Sunderland will return to pre-season on Wednesday, eight July, the club confirmed, with a smaller group due to World Cup involvement.

The initial testing takes place at the Academy of Light. Players at the World Cup have been given an extended break, so several academy prospects are set to train with the first team.

The 12 players who featured at the tournament will return in stages through July, with some expected to join the United States tour. It is likely the opening friendly will include academy players.

Those whose nations reach the latter stages are expected back in early August. Sunderland will then play two friendlies against top-tier French opposition before the Premier League campaign begins at Portman Road on 22 August.

Pre-season opens at York City on 18 July at the LNER Community Stadium. They meet Liverpool at Geodis Park in Nashville on 25 July and Leeds United at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey on 30 July, before facing Wrexham at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania on the second of August.

Two games against RC Lens follow in France on the eighth of August, one behind closed doors at their training ground, then at Stade Bollaert-Delelis. The final warm-up is against Stade Rennais at the Stadium of Light on 15 August.

Source: Sunderland Echo