Sunderland AFC Director of Football Florent Ghisolfi and club legend Kevin Ball joined the Foundation of Light for a special event as the 2026-27 Premier League fixtures were revealed.
The Fixtures Breakfast, a highlight of the Foundation’s Business Breakfast series, returned for 2026 as anticipation builds for another exciting season on Wearside.
With the club’s first venture into European competition in 53 years on the horizon, fixture release day marks a major milestone in the build-up to the new campaign.
More than 200 guests from Sunderland AFC and Foundation of Light partner organisations attended the event, with a networking breakfast kicking off the morning.
Former BBC presenter Jeff Brown hosted a panel discussion featuring SAFC’s Ghisolfi, former captain and Foundation of Light Ambassador Kevin Ball, and the Foundation’s Chief Operating Officer, Jamie Wright.
The panel reflected on the club’s outstanding 2025-26 campaign and discussed topics including transfer policy, the importance of youth development, and the connection between Sunderland AFC and its community through the Foundation.
Following the announcement of an opening-day trip to newly promoted Ipswich Town, the panel shared their thoughts on the fixture schedule, highlighting key dates including the derby matches (5 December 2026 away and 1 May 2027 at home) and the busy festive programme.
Guests were invited to ask their own questions following the fixture release, before further networking brought the event to a close.
“I think it’s always nice to say a big thank you to the people who help the Foundation function and, being the first club to launch a Fixtures Breakfast 25 years ago, to still be doing it now is really special,” said Jamie Wright.
“Kevin [Ball] is a great role model, a great ambassador for the Foundation, and he was the original Mr Sunderland, so it’s great to have his support.
“To also have Flo [Ghisolfi] here with us is fantastic. He’s been very supportive of the Foundation over the past year, and I think he really sees the value of the work that we do."
On his involvement with the event, Kevin Ball said: “You could sense in the room how excited everybody was for the fixture release.
“I think it’s amazing what the Foundation does. You come into the Beacon and, as opposed to someone turning around and saying, ‘What can I sell you?’, there’s always someone ready to say, ‘Hello, how can I help you?’”
On his excitement for the new season, Ball added: “I think the excitement of last season still lingers.
“The way it evolved, and the way we ended up in Europe, was incredible. I was in the Stadium of Light with my grandson, who’s 15, and up on the board came the words ‘Europe confirmed’. I had a little tear in my eye.
“My grandson looked at me and I said, ‘It’s not a tear, son. I think it’s that flare that has been let off over there.’
“For Sunderland AFC, and for somebody who has represented Sunderland in a lot of different roles, it was a fantastic moment.”
Fixtures Breakfast is part of the Foundation of Light’s Business Breakfast series of networking mornings in partnership with Aspire Technology Solutions.
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