Sunderland AFC's 2019/20 season start date confirmed as fixture release date revealed

While the Black Cats' divisional status for next season is still undecided, they look set to kick-off their 2019/20 campaign on Saturday, August 3 - unless they are the televised fixture selected to be played on Friday, August 2.

The Black Cats will also enter the first round of the Carabao Cup, which is set to be held on the week commencing August 12.

Wembley will again play host to the Carabao Cup Final on Sunday 1 March, 2020, in what will be the first of five Finals in the EFL calendar, whilst the EFL Trophy Final, which attracted a record crowd of 85,021 in this year’s showpiece between the Black Cats and Portsmouth, is to take place the following month on Sunday 5 April.

The season-ending play-off finals will once again be staged at Wembley Stadium, this time across two weekends in May.

The League Two Final will start proceedings on Saturday 16 May, before League One and the Championship take centre stage the following weekend on Sunday 24 May and Monday 25 May, respectively.

The scheduling of the respective play-off finals is due to a busy period in the football calendar, with Wembley Stadium also hosting fixtures at Euro 2020, including the Semi-Finals and Final.

A full list of the key dates ahead of the 2019/20 EFL season can be found below:

- Fixture Release Date – Thursday 20 June 2019, 9am

- Start Date – Saturday 3 August 2019 (with a likely live game on Friday 2 August)

- Carabao Cup Round One – w/c 12 August 2019

- Carabao Cup Final – Sunday 1 March 2020

- EFL Trophy Round One – w/c 2 September 2019

- EFL Trophy Final – Sunday 5 April 2020

- League Two Play-Off Final – Saturday 16 May 2020

- League One Play-Off Final – Sunday 24 May 2020

- Championship Play-Off Final – Monday 25 May 2020