City expected to be busy as Lionesses play in front of sell-out crowd at Sunderland Stadium of Light
Football fans are gathering in Sunderland ahead of a sold-out Lioness match against Scotland.
It is the England side's first match following their World Cup defeat against Spain last month.
Council bosses have warned the city will be busy ahead of the match at the Stadium of Light on Friday 22 September.
The UEFA Women’s Nations League opener will see a crowd of more than 40,000 people watch the team which has strong connections to the area.
Players Beth Mead, Carly Telford, Demi Stokes, Jill Scott, Jordan Nobbs, Lucy Bronze, Lucy Staniforth and Steph Houghton all spent part of their careers at SAFC Women.
Sunderland's Keel Square is also hosting a pre-match fan zone ahead of the match.
Here's what you need to know about getting to the venue:
Travelling by metro and bus
Metro operator, Nexus, has confirmed that extra trains will be running on Friday.
People are being advised to plan in advance how they will get to and from the match and allow extra time for their journey as trains could be busy.
Non match goers should also be aware that public transport and routes heading into and out of Sunderland on Friday night is likely to be extremely busy.
Sunderland City Council have said that on their way to the match, anyone planning to go straight to the stadium should get off at Stadium of Light or St Peter's.
Anyone planning to go into the city centre first should get off at either Sunderland or Park Lane.
After the match, fans travelling towards South Hylton should get on the Metro at St Peter’s station – a three minute walk from the stadium.
Fans heading northbound towards Newcastle should use Stadium of Light station, a ten-minute walk away.
A Take the Kids for Free offer on the Metro allows up to three children aged 11 and under to travel for free with a fare-paying adult over 18.
Bus numbers 2, 3, 4, 12, 13, 15 and 16 all stop in close proximity to the stadium.
Fans planning to travel by bus are being advised to check with local operators Stagecoach and Go-North East for details.
Travelling by car
Please be aware that traffic restrictions will be in place on roads around the stadium on Friday evening, with roads closed to all traffic from 6pm sharp until approximately 10:30pm.
Fans travelling from the north or west to the stadium, should join the A19 southbound and continue to the Hylton Grange Interchange and take the first exit onto A1231 Wessington Way. Continue on the A1231 to the Stadium of Light.
Fans travelling from the south, should follow the A19 northbound onto the A1018 and continue on the A1018 to the Stadium of Light.
Parking
Official stadium car parking is sold out. But parking is available in the city centre 10 minutes' walk away.
Fans should use the Park and Ride facility on Wessington Way (A1231). This is on a first come first served basis free of charge and is easily accessible from the A19 and clearly signposted.
Buses will pick up from the permanent bus stops on Sunderland Enterprise Park while pick -up points from the stadium are to the north on Kier Hardie Way.
Buses will run to/from the stadium on a 5 minute basis pre-match. These will be operational from 18:15 and post-match until all fans have been transported back to their cars.
Councillor Graeme Miller, leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "We're incredibly excited to be hosting the Lionesses' first match in the UK since their gripping World Cup final.
"Our city has strong connections to the Lionesses, with past and present players including Lucy Bronze and Jordan Knobbs, Steph Houghton and Jill Scott all having spent some of their early playing careers here.
"So we're very much looking forward to welcoming the Lionesses to the city, as well as fans from across Sunderland and the wider region and further afield."
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