Ciaran Morrison

Sun 5 April 2026 13:54, UK

Follow us on Google Discover

Sunderland have been warned against dragging football into politics after inviting Nigel Farage to the Stadium of Light.

That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, who is not getting excited about the prospect of Farage turning up to a Sunderland game.

Farage, who is the leader of political party Reform UK, recently visited Championship club Ipswich Town, which sparked backlash from the club’s supporters.

Sunderland co-owner Juan Sartori then invited Farage to come to the Stadium of Light for a Premier League fixture, which could take place before the end of the season.

The event could overshadow Sunderland’s fine first season back in the Premier League, with the Black Cats currently 11th in the table and targeting a top ten finish.

Sunderland’s Nigel Farage invitation is ‘wrong’

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – is not a fan of football and politics overlapping.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness also states how people need to be careful about what they see online.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “Let’s not get too excited about this. I have always fought against politics in sport, and I don’t like the way that this is shaping up to be.

“I don’t think clubs should be getting involved in that, but I don’t really see how people and fans are saying they’re being hurt and upset. That to me is just wrong, but there’s a role that clubs can play, and they shouldn’t be getting dragged into politics where possible.

“I’m afraid in today’s social media landscape all these sorts of stunts do happen, and you know what, it may not even be a stadium visit. Some of it may have been AI for all I know these days.

“There are so many deep fakes and different things going around. I could probably make a video today of Nigel Farage going to Spurs. You could probably make that up.

“Let’s be careful about all the stuff that’s out there. Football is so important and so big in life, it’s not surprising that it’s infiltrated. So I’m pretty sanguine about the whole thing, and you just have to move on to the next headline.”

Interest emerges in Sunderland number one

Sources have told Football Insider that Sunderland risk losing goalkeeper Robin Roefs to Chelsea in the summer transfer window.

The 23-year-old has been a standout player on the Black Cats’ return to the top flight, with Chelsea keeping tabs on the goalkeeper.

Roefs has kept eight Premier League clean sheets this season, and Sunderland will not be looking to sell the shot stopper this summer.