Ipswich vs. Sunderland: Head-to-head record and past meetings

Head-to-head record

Previous meetings: 59

Draws: 9

Ipswich Town and Sunderland have locked horns 59 times over the years, and the Tractor Boys who marginally lead the head-to-head record with 25 wins to the Black Cats' 24, while nine draws have also been played out in this fixture.

From the very first meeting between these sides back in September 1958 (a 2-0 win for Ipswich in the old Division Two) and December 1989, the Suffolk-based outfit enjoyed plenty of success over Sunderland, winning 15 and drawing five of their 28 league meetings.

The tables have since turned slightly in Sunderland's favour, with the Black Cats winning 16 and drawing four of their last 31 encounters with Ipswich, including two FA Cup victories in January 2001 (1-0 in fourth round) and January 2004 (2-1 in fourth round).

Across 10 Championship encounters, Ipswich have won six of those (D1 L3), including both home and away fixtures in the 2023-24 season by a 2-1 scoreline.

However, Sunderland dominated the Tractor Boys in League One, winning four and drawing two of their six meetings and keeping three clean sheets in the process.

In the Premier League era (since 1992-93), Ipswich and Sunderland have faced each other five times in England's top division, with the former coming out on top three times to the latter's two wins.

In the 2000-01 campaign, Sunderland responded to their narrow 1-0 away defeat to Ipswich by thrashing the Tractor Boys 4-1 at the Stadium of Light on New Year's Day of 2001.

The Black Cats beat them again (1-0) the following season on home soil, but Ipswich got their revenge in emphatic fashion, as they secured a thumping 5-0 win at Portman Road in December 2001 - their biggest ever Premier League win to date.

With Sunderland returning to the Premier League in 2025-26, and Ipswich bouncing back into the top flight a year later, the clubs set up an encounter at Portman Road on the opening day of the 2026-27 season.

The Tractor Boys took the lead through Emersonn with just 25 minutes on the clock that day, and after Nilson Angulo equalised for the visitors, Jack Clarke netted a winner in the dying moments of the game, snatching all three points for the newly-promoted team.

Former England striker Darren Bent holds the unique record of having scored for both Ipswich and Sunderland in matches against the two teams during his career, while all three of Alex Mathie, Kevin Phillips and Eric Gates have each netted four times in this fixture.