JUST NOW: 3,000 standing places will be provided by Sunderland AFC at Stadium of Light as part of a multimillion-pound renovation.

There will be 1,000 standing places in the North Upper Stand and 2,000 in the Roker End for the Sky Bet Championship team.

Three thousand secure standing places will be added to the Stadium of Light by Sunderland AFC as part of a multimillion-pound renovation project. There will be 1,000 standing places in the North Upper Stand and 2,000 in the Roker End for the Championship team.

During the summer break, under-soil heating and a new playing surface will also be installed. In 1997, the Black Cats made their way to the ground, bidding farewell to the former Roker Park, the site of their games since 1898.

Additionally, the team asserts that the matchday experience will be “transformationally enhanced” by the investment made at the site of the former Monkwearmouth Colliery.

“We are delighted to announce that we are continuing a significant period of investment to develop the Stadium of Light, with the next phase set to complete before the start of the new season,” SAFC chairman Kyril Louis-Dreyfus stated on the team’s website today.

“These improvements represent a significant change in how we approach the matchday experience, and each improvement will benefit our devoted fans in the long run. We are forward to experience the enhancements we are implementing alongside our supporters when we return to the Stadium of Light for the upcoming season. They will enrich matchday both now and in the future.”

Under the scheme, a new PA system and floodlights will also be installed; additionally, the stadium will be the first in the UK to be 5G-enabled by next year thanks to a partnership with Sunderland City Council.