The earliest recorded organised sport in Sunderland was horse racing on the Town Moor from at least 1724 until the 1740s. A map of Sunderland's Town Moor dating to 1750 shows the triangular racecourse. Race days were known as 'Horsecourse' days. The horse races attracted large crowds. Horse racing restarted again in 1835 at Tunstall Hope on land owned by George Skipsey. The Sunderland Borough Races only lasted at Tunstall Hope for ten years due to local opposition. During the 1850s the races took place at Southwick. In 1898 they moved to Grindon. An oval grass track was laid out on land owned by Colonel Vaux. The last horse race was in 1906.

Built in 2008, costing £20 million. This is the North East's first 50m pool, the only such facility between Leeds and Edinburgh. The building was designed by Redbox Architecture of Newcastle and built by Balfour Beatty. The pool is 25m wide so it can accommodate 10 lanes, which is the Olympic requirement. The only other pools which meet this standard are in Sheffield, Leeds, Glasgow, Cardiff and the London 2012 Aquatic Centre. The floor is moveable so that depths can be adjusted for different users including those in wheelchairs. The main pool is home to the City of Sunderland Amateur Swimming Club. It can be divided into sections to allow flexible use. The building was chosen as host for the ASA National Championships in August 2010. The centre was used as a pre-Olympic training centre for the 2012 London Olympics. The building has 11 curved glulam roof beams, each spanning 52m across the pool. These glued laminated beams were sourced from managed sources in Austria. Rainwater from the roof is collected and recycled for use within the centre. The building is super-insulated to maximise energy usage. Lynn Pearson describes the Aquatic Centre as 'elegant, uncluttered and bathed in natural light'.

Opened on 30th July 1997 with a concert by Status Quo, a blessing by the Bishop of Durham and a friendly match against Ajax (Amsterdam). The first site to be chosen was alongside the Nissan car factory on the A19. Plans were drawn up for a 48,000 seat stadium and a 10,000 seat indoor entertainment arena. In the end the indoor arena was built at Newcastle instead. Sunderland's new football stadium was built on the site of Monkwearmouth Colliery. It took three years for the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation to reclaim the site. Taylor, Tulip and Hunter (from Gateshead) were the architects. Ballast Wiltshier were the builders. It took 14 months to build the £17 million stadium. The capacity was 42,000, increased to 48,353 in 2002 by adding an extra tier to the North Stand. There is also a Stadium of Light in Lisbon, Portugal. Outside the stadium there is a monument by Jim Roberts, in the form of a Davy Lamp. The iron Murray Gates, dedicated to former Chairman Bob Murray bear the phrases 'Into the Light' and 'Ha'way the Lads'. There is a salvaged pit wheel with a plaque recording the history of Monkwearmouth Colliery. Opposite to the main entrance is a bronze sculpture by Artcyle called 'Fans, Past, Present and Future' (erected November 2004). The 'Men of Steel' are by Graeme Hopper from Crook. Groups of figures haul pieces of coal up the slopes from the river, to represent man's struggle and will to survive. On the south side of the stadium is a statue of Bob Stokoe, the manager who led Sunderland to victory in the FA Cup Final of 5th May 1973. The statue is by Sean Hedges-Quinn. In the stadium car park two sections of the 1929 balcony truss from the main stand at Roker Park designed by Archibald Leitch are displayed.

Built in 1894. This was one of many boxing venues in Sunderland, but the only one that still stands. It could hold around 500 spectators. Jack Casey, the 'Sunderland Assassin' from Southwick fought matches here during his 1926-1942 career. Today the building is the Hi-Performance Auto Centre. It’s an attractive two storey brick building with large round-arched windows above the ground floor shop front. At the roof eaves are a series of animal heads. Slate roof and tall ashlar and brick campanile-style chimneys. Classical-style round-headed door surround with the date 1894 and 'miners hall' on the pediment above. At either end of the hall is a three storey house with rectangular windows at ground and first floors, but round arched ones at second floor level. Same animal heads at eaves level.

Opened in 1964.

1883-4. Now built over.

Opened in 1957.

Opened in 2003.

1922 to 1960s. Now built over.

1884-6. Now built over.