London, UK — English football’s traditional full slate of Boxing Day fixtures has been drastically reduced this year, with the Premier League citing the “expansion of European club competitions” as the primary reason for the schedule squeeze.
This year, only one top-flight match will be played on December 26: Manchester United’s home match against Newcastle United (20:00 GMT). This marks a significant drop from the eight Premier League games played on Boxing Day last season.
The Premier League confirmed the revised festive schedule, acknowledging that the change impacts “an important tradition in English football.”
“There are now several challenges to Premier League fixture scheduling rooted in the expansion of European club competitions,” the league said in a statement.
The Impact of European Changes
The revision stems from UEFA’s decision to expand the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League, starting with the 2024-25 season. These competitions now stretch across 10 midweeks, up from six previously, using a new league-phase format.
The Premier League explained that the expanded European calendar led to a revision of its domestic calendar, including changes to the FA Cup, ultimately leaving the league with fewer available weekends to schedule 380 matches.
This congestion has drawn criticism from fan groups. The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) called the decision to schedule the Manchester United vs. Newcastle game—which involves the longest trip of the gameweek—for 8pm on Boxing Day “thoughtless.”
Future and Player Welfare
While this year’s Boxing Day (a Friday) features a single game, the league offered assurances that the schedule will look different next season.
“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,” the Premier League confirmed.
The league also emphasized that it has made special arrangements to ensure player welfare, increasing the rest periods between rounds 18, 19, and 20. This guarantees that no club plays within 60 hours of another match, moving closer to the 72-hour minimum rest period recently advocated by player representatives and FIFA.
The core of matchweek 18 will now be played on Saturday, December 27, with seven fixtures scheduled, before concluding on Sunday, December 28.
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