There is only one Premier League game being played on Boxing Day this year, with Manchester United hosting Newcastle. Read on as we reveal why this is the case.
Boxing Day football is a British staple and an iconic day in the calendar, with fans turning out in droves to support their clubs, whether that be in the stadium, at home or in the pub.
Typically, there’s a lengthy Premier League fixture list on Boxing Day.
Last year, there were eight televised matches throughout the day on December 26.
This year though, this isn’t the case, with just one English top-flight match being played.
Indeed, the only Premier League fixture scheduled for Boxing Day in 2025 is Manchester United vs Newcastle at Old Trafford. The game kicks off at 20:00, with live coverage on Sky Sports.
Both sides are dealing with numerous concerns. Tino Livramento is injured for the visitors, while United are without their captain as Bruno Fernandes suffered a hamstring injury on Sunday.
Why Is There One Premier League Game on Boxing Day?
The Premier League released a statement earlier in the week as to why only one match had been scheduled for Boxing Day, a day they describe as ‘a traditional day of football’.
They revealed that the circumstances leading to a reduced number of Boxing Day matches this season are down to the challenges presented by the expansion of European club competitions.
Their 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.
“This ultimately left the Premier League as a 33-weekend competition – fewer than previous seasons, despite being a 380-match competition since 1995.”
As there are fewer weekends to work with, moving matches is made much more difficult, therefore the Premier League’s fixture schedule is ‘bound by how the calendar falls’.
Player welfare is also a consideration, and the Premier League has confirmed that ‘special arrangements’ have been made to allow more time between games during the festive period.
Positively, the Premier League has revealed that there will be more matches played on Boxing Day next season, as the date falls on a Saturday.
Following on from Friday’s sole Boxing Day fixture, there are a further seven games to be played throughout the day on Saturday and two to round off the gameweek on Sunday.
Standout fixtures include Arsenal vs Brighton, Liverpool vs Wolves, Chelsea vs Aston Villa, Sunderland vs Leeds, Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur and many more.
