The Premier League has confirmed that this season’s Boxing Day will feature just one match, Manchester United versus Newcastle United, marking a significant break from one of English football’s most beloved traditions.
It will be the fewest top-flight fixtures played on Boxing Day in 43 years, with the date falling on a Friday this year.
Fans long accustomed to a full slate of festive action will have to make do with just the clash at Old Trafford.
The League cited “mounting scheduling pressures” from the expansion of European competitions as the primary reason behind the change, noting that fixture congestion has tightened the domestic calendar.
“There are now several challenges to Premier League fixture scheduling rooted in the expansion of European club competitions,” the League said. “This led to revisions in our domestic calendar, including adjustments to the FA Cup.”
The Premier League now operates over 33 weekends, fewer than in previous seasons, though its 380-match format remains intact. With only five midweek rounds available, several fixtures have been moved to December 27 and 28.
“Fixture planning has become increasingly constrained,” the statement continued. “With fewer weekends to work with, the League is bound by how the calendar falls.”
The Premier League promised a return to a full Boxing Day lineup next season when the date falls on a Saturday.
Boxing Day football has long been a festive tradition in England, a day when families pack stadiums and fans around the world tune in for top-flight drama.
This year’s scaled-back offering underlines the growing strain on the football calendar as domestic and continental competitions jostle for space.
