Sunderland Women to break attendance record in Wear-Tyne Derby clash vs Newcastle United

Sunday’s Wear-Tyne Derby between Sunderland and Newcastle United will set a record attendance for a Barclays Women’s Championship fixture.

The current record stands at 11,137 fans, but the expectation is that this weekend’s clash between the two North East clubs will comfortably surpass that gate, with approximately 12,000 tickets already sold. Mel Reay’s side will play host to the Magpies in a 2pm kick-off, swapping their usual home at the Eppleton Colliery Welfare Ground for the much grander surroundings of the Stadium of Light. Sunday’s match will be one of four Women’s Championship fixtures played at the historic ground this season.

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Addressing the huge number of tickets sold, SAFC Women general manager Alex Clark, said: "We are delighted with the support shown to the team and looking forward to welcoming a league-record crowd to the Stadium of Light in what promises to be a great occasion both for the club and for the North East."

Last season, Sunderland broke their previous attendance record when 1,477 watched supporters their local derby victory over Durham back in March. This weekend, the understanding is that they will play in front of a crowd roughly ten times that size.

The Black Cats have started the new campaign in mixed form, losing their first two outings heavily, but responding with an unbeaten run of three matches across league and cup competition. Their most recent result was a 3-3 draw against Charlton Athletic. Fans still looking to buy a ticket for Sunday’s game can do so via Sunderland’s official website, here.