There will only be one Premier League match on Boxing Day this year, in a break from December 26th being a bumper day of top-flight football over the festive period
Premier League football fans stuffed to the brim with turkey and ready for more festive indulgence will need to find a new way to continue their Boxing Day celebrations this year.
Only one match will be played in the division on that day, with the remaining fixtures scheduled for the following weekend.
Boxing Day has traditionally been a highlight of the football calendar, with top-tier matches often taking up a significant portion of the day on 26 December.
However, this year will be different, as the Premier League must fulfil its contractual obligations with broadcasters. The league is obliged to schedule 33 rounds of weekend fixtures and five midweek.
As a result, Premier League officials have had to deviate from the usual packed Boxing Day schedule, as initially reported by The Times (via the Mirror).
With an increasing number of weekends already accounted for throughout the year, due to the FA Cup taking up more space after the elimination of replays, the Premier League has found itself needing to utilise 27 and 28 December to meet its commitments.
Matches such as West Ham vs Fulham, Crystal Palace vs Tottenham, Manchester United vs Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City, Sunderland vs Leeds United, Brentford vs Bournemouth, Chelsea vs Aston Villa, Arsenal vs Brighton & Hove Albion, Burnley vs Everton and Liverpool vs Wolves are all vying for the available slot.
This year, 26 December will witness the fewest top-flight games since 1982. In 2024, eight matches happened on Boxing Day.
The last time it fell on a Friday, back in 2014, all ten Premier League matches took place on the day itself. However, this year’s fixture dates and times are yet to be confirmed.
Clubs and broadcasters typically receive at least six weeks’ notice of agreed fixture dates. No match has been selected for Boxing Day as of yet but Chelsea, Arsenal or Tottenham could be impacted if they’re selected.
A full schedule of fixtures will take place for English Football League and National League teams. These sides will enjoy a weekend break before another round of games on Monday, 29 December.
That contrasts with the Premier League, where matches will resume on 30 December following their weekend encounters. Normality will then return in 2026 when Boxing Day falls on a weekend.
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