Only One Boxing Day Game This Year Due to UEFA Fixture Expansion

Published: 31 October 2025. The English Chronicle Desk

The Premier League has confirmed that, for the first time in recent memory, only one match will take place on Boxing Day, with Manchester United hosting Newcastle United at Old Trafford at 20:00 GMT. Traditionally a day packed with fixtures across English football, the reduced schedule reflects the growing challenges posed by the expansion of UEFA’s club competitions.

Boxing Day has long been a cornerstone of the English football calendar, offering fans festive action and clubs a competitive mid-season highlight. However, the Premier League says the expansion of European competitions has created “several challenges to fixture scheduling,” necessitating adjustments to domestic calendars, including FA Cup changes, to accommodate a 33-weekend season. While the Premier League still maintains a 380-match schedule, fewer weekends are available for play, limiting opportunities to stage multiple Boxing Day games.

The Football Supporters’ Association criticized the timing of the solitary fixture, describing the 8pm kick-off at Old Trafford as “thoughtless,” particularly given Newcastle’s long travel distance. The league’s statement acknowledged the disruption to tradition but emphasized that similar adjustments are required to protect player welfare, allowing sufficient rest periods between matches. This year, matchweek 18 will continue with seven games on Saturday, 27 December, and conclude with two fixtures on Sunday, 28 December.

The revised calendar also reflects wider global football agreements. In July, FIFA and player representatives set a minimum 72-hour rest period between matches, influencing scheduling across the festive period. The Premier League has confirmed that next season, more Boxing Day fixtures will return, as the date falls on a Saturday, allowing greater flexibility.

The need for change stems from UEFA’s expansion of the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League starting from the 2024-25 season. The competitions now occupy ten midweek slots rather than six, include more participating teams, and feature a league phase before knockout rounds. The Conference League, in particular, overlaps with the EFL Cup quarter-finals, affecting clubs such as Crystal Palace, which must juggle domestic and European commitments.

The full festive fixture list has now been confirmed:

Friday, 26 December
Manchester United v Newcastle United (20:00 GMT)

Saturday, 27 December
Nottingham Forest v Manchester City (12:30)
Arsenal v Brighton (15:00)
Brentford v Bournemouth (15:00)
Burnley v Everton (15:00)
Liverpool v Wolves (15:00)
West Ham United v Fulham (15:00)
Chelsea v Aston Villa (17:30)

Sunday, 28 December
Sunderland v Leeds United (14:00)

The Premier League emphasized that special arrangements have been made to ensure sufficient recovery time for players during the busy festive period, with rest periods between rounds 18, 19, and 20 increased to prevent clubs from playing within 60 hours of a prior match.

As UEFA competitions continue to expand and the English calendar adapts, fans and clubs alike must adjust to the evolving schedule, balancing tradition with player welfare and the demands of European football.