Boxing Day in England is traditionally filled with football matches. In the last five seasons, at least five Premier League matches have been played on Boxing Day. In 2024, there were eight matches.
But this year there is a new bid. Only one match - Manchester United against Newcastle - will be played. More matches will be played the following weekend instead.
The Premier League has, among other things, justified the change by the expansion of European club team tournaments.
It is also because the FA Cup is only played on weekends, which means that the Premier League has fewer weekends to choose from, while the league is obliged under television agreements to offer rights holders a certain number of weekends with full league rounds.
Next year, Boxing Day will fall on a Saturday.
"The league can confirm that next season there will be more Premier League matches played on Boxing Day," it was announced in a statement this autumn.
Friday, December 26:
21.00: Manchester United - Newcastle.
Saturday, December 27:
1.30pm: Nottingham Forest - Manchester City.
16.00: Arsenal - Brighton, Brentford - Bournemouth, Burnley - Everton, Liverpool - Wolverhampton, West Ham - Fulham.
6.30pm: Chelsea - Aston Villa.
Sunday, December 28:
15.00: Sunderland - Leeds.
5.30pm: Crystal Palace - Tottenham.
Tuesday, December 30:
20.30: Burnley - Newcastle, Chelsea - Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest - Everton, West Ham - Brighton.
21.15: Arsenal - Aston Villa, Manchester United - Wolverhampton.
Thursday, January 1:
18.30: Crystal Palace - Fulham, Liverpool - Leeds.
21.00: Brentford - Tottenham, Sunderland - Manchester City.
