Premier League Festive Fixtures: Why is there only one Boxing Day game in the 2025-26 season?

The Premier League has confirmed there will just be one Boxing Day (December 26) fixture this season. By doing so, English football’s top flight is breaking away from the long-standing tradition of festive fixtures that started in 1888.

The Premier League confirmed that Manchester United’s match against Newcastle United will be the only Boxing Day fixture played this season, with kick-off scheduled at 8 PM GMT (1:30 AM IST, December 27).

The reason the League has cited for the same is the “expansion of European club competitions.”

“The Premier League would like to acknowledge the circumstances that have led to a reduced number of matches on Boxing Day this season—impacting an important tradition in English football,” the statement read.

“There are now several challenges to Premier League fixture scheduling rooted in the expansion of European club competitions—which led to a revision of our domestic calendar ahead of last season, including changes to the FA Cup.”

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The schedule change has left the Premier League as a 33-weekend competition—fewer than previous seasons, despite being a 380-match competition since 1995.

“As with previous years, and in keeping with our commitment to clubs, special arrangements have been made to allow more time between games played across the festive period. This will allow greater time for players to recover, with the rest periods between rounds 18, 19, and 20 being increased to ensure that no club plays within 60 hours of another match,” added the Premier League.

Will the Boxing Day fixtures resume next year?

Yes, the Premier League has assured fans that there will be more Boxing Day fixtures in 2026.

“With fewer weekends to work with, the league is bound by how the calendar falls. The league can give an assurance that next season there will be more Premier League matches on Boxing Day—as the date falls on a Saturday,” it said.

Published on Dec 22, 2025