Sunderland to Face Sheffield United in Premier League Promotion Final
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Sunderland has secured a place in the Championship playoff final and will face Sheffield United for a chance to reach the Premier League.
On Tuesday, Sunderland drew 1-1 with Coventry in the second leg of the playoff semifinal at the Stadium of Light. With that result, they won 3-2 on aggregate over the two matches. The dramatic equalizer came in stoppage time of extra time, when Daniel Ballard scored from a corner. His header struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced in.
"It feels like a dream," Ballard said. "It all happened so fast. I can hardly remember the moment."
Sheffield United had already made it to the final on Monday after beating Bristol City 6-0 on aggregate.
While Sheffield United is aiming to return to the Premier League just one year after being relegated, Sunderland hasn’t played in the top division since 2017. During their time away, the club was featured in a Netflix documentary that highlighted their challenges on and off the pitch.
The final, held at Wembley Stadium, is known as the most valuable one-off match in football. If Sunderland wins, they could gain around £200 million ($260 million) in extra income from ticket sales, TV rights, and sponsorships. The amount could grow even more if they manage to avoid relegation next season.
Sheffield United would earn an estimated $180 million if they win, slightly less than Sunderland due to continued financial support from their recent time in the Premier League during the 2023–24 season.
Coventry, led by manager Frank Lampard, has not played in the Premier League since 2001. This latest defeat adds to their playoff disappointment, after losing last year's final to Luton on penalties.
In the regular Championship season, Sheffield United and Sunderland finished third and fourth, just behind Leeds and Burnley, who earned automatic promotion to the Premier League.