Key Highlights
- The 2025 Premier League has confirmed its Christmas fixture list with only one match on Boxing Day.
- This marks a significant break from tradition as Boxing Day usually includes a staple match in the football calendar.
- Seven games will take place on Saturday, December 27, including Arsenal vs Brighton and Hove Albion.
- The midweek schedule between Tuesday, December 30, and Thursday, January 1, aims to provide fans with a taste of the busy Christmas period.
New Boxing Day Schedule for Premier League in 2025
In a significant shift from previous years’ traditions, the Premier League has confirmed its 2025 Christmas fixture list. The league has decided to treat the days after Christmas as a regular match weekend, with only one match scheduled on Boxing Day, a Friday this year. This move reflects changes in broadcast contracts that require games to be played on 33 weekends each season.
The lone Boxing Day match set for December 26, 2025, is Manchester United against Newcastle United at Old Trafford, airing live on Sky Sports. This decision was made due to the fact that Boxing Day falls on a Friday in 2025, allowing the league to spread matches across multiple days leading into and after Christmas.
Saturday Fixtures
On Saturday, December 27, seven games will be played. These include Arsenal vs Brighton and Hove Albion at 14:00 (Sky Sports), Nottingham Forest against Manchester City at 12:30 on TNT Sports, Chelsea vs Aston Villa at 17:30 on Sky Sports, Brentford v AFC Bournemouth at 16:30 on Sky Sports, Burnley v Everton at 14:00 on Sky Sports, and Liverpool vs Wolverhampton Wanderers at 15:00 on Sky Sports.
Midweek Schedule
The midweek schedule between December 29 and January 1 is also packed with fixtures. Games are scheduled for Tuesday, December 30, and Thursday, January 1. These include Burnley vs Newcastle at 19:30 on Sky Sports, Chelsea vs Bournemouth at 19:30 on Sky Sports, Nottingham Forest vs Everton at 19:30 on Sky Sports, West Ham United vs Brighton at 20:15 on Sky Sports, Arsenal vs Aston Villa at 20:15 on Sky Sports, and Manchester United vs Wolverhampton Wanderers at 20:15 on Sky Sports.
There will also be a full schedule of games on January 3.
These changes in the fixture list are part of the broader strategy to ensure that the league’s broadcasting contracts are met while providing fans with a variety of matches during the festive period. The Premier League is known for its tight scheduling, and these alterations aim to balance fan engagement and commercial interests.
The new schedule is expected to provide an interesting mix of early morning kick-offs on Boxing Day and packed midweek slots to keep fans engaged throughout the holiday season. This change also highlights the evolving nature of football’s fixture calendar in response to modern broadcasting demands and preferences.
