Touching down on Wearside: how American football is bringing students to Sunderland
Written by Freddie Cowey on 15th October 2026
Football is without doubt the sport which reigns supreme in the North East of England.
So why is American football – certainly the lesser-known ‘football’ in the region – attracting international students here, to both play and study?
Freddie Cowey reports.
Sunderland Spartans safety and Canadian student ‘Mo’ Ghanem.
For Canada-born Sunderland University (SU) students Mohamed Ghanem and Kevin Hanna, the chance to study abroad and continue to play a sport they grew up with back home was irresistible.
But they didn’t come here to play what in Canada they would call ‘soccer’ – and North Easterners would call ‘football’.
No, they came here to play American football.
Ghanem, 20, who hails from Edmonton, Alberta, said: “I love the sports culture here in Sunderland.
“Absolutely crazy mentality, and truly it’s something that I’ve found a second home with, the sports teams.”
When speaking to Mohamed, often referred to as ‘Mo’, his passion for American football really stands out.
He’s played for seven or eight years and said: “I’ve always just had a love for the sport.
“I don’t know who I’d be without the people and the memories I’ve made with the sport.”
On the upcoming season for the Sunderland Spartans, SU’s American football team (though Canadian football has different rules), he added: “I just want to have fun with amazing teammates and an amazing coaching staff,” whilst enjoying the opportunity for furthering his passion in a different setting.
He is in his second year studying Pharmacy, a subject which in Canada “would have been a minimum of seven to eight years.
“I would have had to complete pre-degree courses, would have had to complete a bachelor’s degree and then I would have had to apply to a PhD.”
Whilst studying in England certainly provides a quicker route to his career goals, Ghanem made it obvious that choosing to study in Sunderland has already enhanced his opinions and knowledge of the area.
Sunderland Spartans, the city university’s American football team, go through their practice drills.
Before arriving, Mo didn’t know much about the region – just that “it’s a little bit gloomy and the weather is just different”.
Undoubtedly, studying abroad does come with some challenges too – for example, there are over 4,000 miles (and a seven-hour time difference) between Edmonton and Sunderland.
“Obviously, it’s really hard, getting homesick and stuff, being away from home for so long, adapting to a new environment, just living by yourself,” he said. “You miss your family and your friends.”
Even so, when asked if he’d recommend the experience of studying abroad, Mo said: “It’s a great opportunity for anyone to take. I’m blessed to have been able to continue my studies and to continue my sports.”
A lot of this sentiment is echoed by fellow student Kevin Hanna, 19, who is from Winnipeg, Manitoba and studies LLB Law at the university.
For Kevin, the sense of team spirit and friendliness within the SU American football team immediately stood out as a positive.
“One thing I did notice about the team here is that it’s more than just a team, like everyone’s friends, there’s socials,” he said.
“They go to pubs or bars for student nights and stuff, which is really cool to me.”
He too has a real passion for the sport, perhaps enhanced by a devastating defeat he suffered in his final high school game back in Canada.
On the topic, he said: “As soon as I got the opportunity to continue playing, I took it right away. It was a couple months after my last game (in Canada), where we lost in the provincial finals in high school and I was already bummed out about that – we could have won the whole thing.
“Honestly, the more I play, the more I remember how much I loved it, and I just feel so good to be back.”
As with Mo, for Kevin the appeal of a faster route through education stood out, as the “University of Sunderland offers a streamlined LLB course, whereas in Canada, you’d have to do an undergrad and then apply to law school”.
The decision for Sunderland specifically was also impacted by the large Canadian community within the university (which actually runs a Canadian Law programme) alongside the positive experience of a cousin who previously enjoyed the same process.
Again, Kevin admits that his initial impressions of Sunderland on arrival weren’t overly promising. “Lots of people that have studied here before told me that it’s gloomy, rains a lot and it’s really cold,” he said.
“And a really big culture shock, that you guys have here, that is super-new to me, is how full the pubs are in the morning! It’ll be 9:10am and everyone’s just drinking beers in the morning. It was a sight, to say the least!”
But asked whether he would recommend other student-athletes to follow in his footsteps, Kevin said: “Absolutely. I think it’s very good because it brings you out of your comfort level.”
He added: “A hundred per cent, I’d recommend to anyone who’s thinking about studying abroad and continuing in their sports, whether that’s American football or not.
“I think it’s a good way to build connections and just fill up your free time and make friends.”
Sunderland Spartans, UoS’s American football team, in a coaching huddle during training.
For Sunderland Spartans head coach Misba Islam, the impact that international student-athletes have on the squad in terms of experience, knowledge and leadership is essential.
“When you have guys who have played before, it makes your job as a coach a million times easier,” he said.
“Obviously, it makes a massive impact on the field, leadership, in terms of everything, they’ve already got that discipline instilled in them – so then that sets a precedent across the whole team.”
The process of recruiting international players is done via numerous methods, including social media, links to recruitment staff and word of mouth, which is perhaps the biggest tool.
For Misba, he has seen the number of international players rise during his time as head coach – a promising development for the team’s future success as the sport continues to grow in popularity.
“I mean, my first year here, we had one [international student], and then the year after we had four: this year we’ve got a couple more.
“Next year there’s a lot of interest from high school and college students that want to come over.
“So it just grows and the hope is that the more we get, obviously the better the team gets, but also you build that community in Sunderland as well. It’s quite nice to see people come over.”
American Football in Great Britain
Sunderland Spartans safety Mo Ghanem directs teammates in practice.
