USL Championship clubs New Mexico United and San Antonio FC will welcome historic English club Sunderland AFC this summer for a pair of international exhibitions during the Black Cats’ tour of the United States.

Sunderland is one of England’s most-decorated clubs, having won the top-flight league title six times, and the F.A. Cup twice in its history. More recently, the club provided a behind-the-scenes look at professional soccer in the Netflix documentary series “Sunderland ‘Til I Die.”

The Black Cats are currently on the upswing, sitting in fifth place in the EFL Championship as they vie for promotion to the Premier League at the end of the season. The side is led by forward Ross Stewart, who currently had 10 goals and three assists this season, while teammate Jack Clarke has recorded a team-high six assists along with seven goals.

San Antonio will play host to the Black Cats on Saturday, July 15 at Toyota Field, with kickoff set for 9 p.m. ET. The game will mark the defending USL Championship title holders’ first international exhibition against a European club since a 2019 meeting with Cardiff City FC.

“We are delighted to have the opportunity to host one of the most distinguished and historic clubs in our sport in the Alamo City this summer,” said SAFC Managing Director Tim Holt. “Sunderland AFC is an iconic club and a prominent soccer brand with amazing worldwide support, and it will be a treat for the entire San Antonio FC family to welcome them to Texas.  We are grateful to their leadership for agreeing to participate in this special event and appreciate the support of our friends First Wave Sports in bringing it to fruition.”

New Mexico will play host to Sunderland on Wednesday, July 19 at Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park, with kickoff set for 9 p.m. ET. The contest will be the second international exhibition in the club’s history after previously hosting Cardiff City FC on the same tour that brought the Bluebirds to San Antonio in 2019.

“Bringing an historic club like Sunderland AFC to New Mexico is a dream come true,” said New Mexico United Owner and CEO Peter Trevisani. “Sunderland embodies what it means to be a successful club for generations. As we strive to be a club for the next 100 years, we can learn so much from their drive, passion, professionalism, and staying power. We can’t wait to meet the Black Cats on the pitch, and show them what New Mexico is made of.”