Sunderland played five matches in 16 days this month, but now we have to endure 19 consecutive days without watching the Black Cats during a supersized international window – the first since 12 Black Cats represented their countries at the World Cup.
At last count, 16 Sunderland players – including one you’ll barely believe – will don their national team jerseys in competitions and friendlies around the world.
Let’s take a look at where and when Sunderland’s players will be in action over the next few weeks.
ATLANTA, GA – JUNE 24: Wilson Isidor #18 of Haiti celebrates after scoring a first-half goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group C match between Morocco and Haiti on June 24th, 2026 at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, GA. (Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It’s time to catch CONCACAF Nations League fever! Isidor, who scored one of the goals of the World Cup this summer, will lead the Les Grenadiers into League B action.
Haiti will play Trinidad and Tobago on Sept. 24, Costa Rica on Sept. 27, the Dominican Republic on Oct. 1 and Costa Rica again on Oct. 4.
Haiti, coming off its three-match stint in the World Cup, is playing for promotion to League A and qualification for the 2027 CONCACAF Gold Cup. All the matches will be played in Jamaica.
Nilson Angulo and Juan Riquelme Angulo – Ecuador
Angulo2 are heading to Asia, as La Tri plays a pair of friendlies. Ecuador takes on South Korea on Sept. 24 and then plays at Japan on Oct. 1.
Nilson Angulo has played 18 times for his country, including four matches at the World Cup. Juan Riquelme Angulo has been called up once before, but is still looking for his first senior cap.
La Albirroja will also be playing a pair of friendlies on foreign soil. Paraguay plays Bolivia on Sept. 26 in Washington D.C. and Colombia on Oct. 2 in New Jersey.
Another World Cup veteran, Alderete has played 40 times for his country.
France’s defender #04 Dayot Upamecano (C) and Northern Ireland’s defender #05 Trai Hume (R) jumps for the ball during the international friendly football match between France and Northern Ireland at the Pierre-Mauroy stadium in Villeneuve-d’Ascq, northern France on June 8, 2026, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup football tournament. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images
Trai Hume and Dan Ballard – Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland, dumped out of World Cup qualification in the UEFA play-off semi-finals by Italy, will play its first competitive match since as they start UEFA Nations League B.
Northern Ireland travels to Georgia on Sept. 25, hosts Hungary on Sept. 28, is at Ukraine on Oct. 2 and tackles Georgia again at home on Oct. 5.
Hume, who captained his country in the play-offs, has played 31 times for Northern Ireland, while Ballard has earned 33 caps.
Brian Brobbey and Robin Roefs – Netherlands
Coming off his hat-trick at Manchester City, Brobbey may lead the line again for the Dutch, as he did in their last three World Cup matches. Brobbey scored three goals in four matches in the United States.
The Netherlands will play in UEFA Nations League A, starting with Germany at home on Sept. 24. The Dutch are at Serbia on Sept. 27, at Greece on Oct. 1 and then back home against Serbia on Oct. 4.
Roefs did not play in the World Cup and has appeared once for the Dutch. Brobbey has earned 16 caps.
Also in League A action, newcomer Malick Fofana will look to add to his five total senior appearances.
The Belgians head to Italy on Sept. 25, host France on Sept. 28 and Türkiye on Oct. 2, and then are at France on Oct. 5.
Spain’s defender #14 Aymeric Laporte and Austria’s defender #03 Kevin Danso jump for the ball during the 2026 World Cup round of 32 football match between Spain and Austria at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on July 2, 2026. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images
A tier down in League B, Austria will host Israel on Sept. 24 and Kosovo on Sept. 27, before heading on the road to Ireland on Oct. 1 and Kosovo on Oct. 4.
Danso has played 36 times for his country, including four appearances and two starts at the World Cup.
Though he has earned call-ups before, Ellborg has not featured for Sweden.
Playing in League B, the Swedes will be home against Romania on Sept. 25 and Poland on Sept. 28, and then at Bosnia and Herzegovina on Oct. 2 and at Romania on Oct. 5.
Dayann Methalie – France U-21
Top-of-the-table France will look to secure Euro U-21 qualification.
The French play at Iceland on Sept. 25, at Estonia on Sept. 29 and then host Luxembourg on Oct. 3 and Switzerland on Oct. 6.
Methalie has featured four times in qualification, scoring twice.
MURCIA, SPAIN – SEPTEMBER 09: Chris Rigg of England U19 with the ball during the Men’s U19 International match between England and Netherlands at Pinatar Arena on September 09, 2025 in Murcia, Spain. (Photo by Mateo Villalba – The FA/The FA via Getty Images) The FA via Getty Images
Chris Rigg – England U-20
Rigg has played 51 times at five different England youth levels, but this will be his first window with the U-20 squad.
Playing in the U-20 Elite League, England will be at Italy on Sept. 25, at France on Sept. 29 and at home against Germany on Oct. 3.
Noah Sadiki and Jules Ahoka – Democratic Republic of the Congo and DR Congo U-23
Sadiki and DR Congo start African Cup of Nations qualifying at home against Equatorial Guinea on Sept. 24 and at Zimbabwe on Sept. 28.
The Congolese will also play a pair of friendlies at home and away on Oct. 2 and 5, respectively, both against Uganda.
Sadiki has played 22 times for DR Congo.
Ahoka and the U-23s are also in AFCON qualifiers, playing Mauritania over two legs on Sept. 28 and Oct. 6.
Abdoullah Ba – Mauritania
Speaking of Mauritania, Ba earned his first call-up for the West African nation.
Ba, who played for French national teams at multiple levels, has not played a match of any kind since 45 minutes in a Sunderland U-21 match in March, and hasn’t played a senior-level match since May 2025 for Dunkerque in Ligue 2.
Mauritania plays the Central African Republic on Sept. 24 at home and is at Benin on Sept. 29.