Mark Donaldson and Janusz Michallik on Leeds United v Sunderland: where to watch the pre-season friendly

Match date: 30 July 2026

Leeds United v Sunderland is set for an early-hours pre-season meeting at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey, with kick-off scheduled for 00:30 BST on Friday 31 July 2026.

For viewers in the United States, the match will be shown on ESPN 2, with Mark Donaldson on commentary and former United States international Janusz Michallik providing co-commentary. In the UK, the fixture is also listed for live coverage on Premier Sports 2, while Leeds United say supporters can follow the game through LUTV and Sunderland direct coverage is available via safc.com.

The game forms part of both clubs’ summer tour preparations, and it is being staged in New Jersey as part of their United States schedule. Leeds confirmed that the match starts at 12:30am BST, with Sunderland’s club site also listing the same kick-off time and venue. According to match listings, the fixture is being played as a friendly, rather than a competitive league or cup game.

Mark Donaldson is a familiar voice for football viewers across ESPN’s international coverage, having built a long career in sports broadcasting with a particular focus on live match presentation and play-by-play commentary. Janusz Michallik, meanwhile, is widely known as a respected analyst and former professional footballer who represented the United States at international level, and he has become a regular presence on television analysis for major football broadcasts.

The fixture itself carries added interest because Leeds and Sunderland have faced each other frequently in recent seasons, including Championship meetings in 2024-25, and recent head-to-head records have been relatively balanced. Goal’s preview notes that the sides have shared wins and draws across their last five meetings, underlining the competitive edge that often appears even in summer friendlies.

For British viewers trying to sort out the television details, the clearest options are Premier Sports 2 and the clubs’ own digital platforms rather than the traditional free-to-air UK broadcasters. Leeds also state that only selected tour fixtures are available via LUTV, while Sunderland highlight live coverage on safc.com, so streaming access may depend on location and subscription status.

This is the kind of pre-season match that often attracts extra attention because of the mix of squad rotation, youth opportunities and early tactical clues. Leeds and Sunderland both enter it looking to build rhythm before the competitive season begins, and the broadcast pairing of Donaldson and Michallik should make it easy for viewers in the US to follow the story as it unfolds.

For more on the fixture and club context, see the official Leeds United information page for the tour schedule and match details: Leeds United pre-season preview.

Article generated: 31 July 2026, 00:30 GMT