Boxing Day football has long been one of the most cherished traditions in English sport — a feast of top-flight fixtures that fans look forward to every holiday season. But in 2025, that celebration may look very different. Due to a congested football calendar and new scheduling pressures, the Premier League could host just one Boxing Day match this winter.
Why Boxing Day 2025 Could Feature Only One Premier League Game
The unusual scheduling challenge stems from Boxing Day falling on a Friday this year. That timing creates a headache for the league’s fixture planners, who must balance:
- An expanded Champions League format, which adds more matches into the January calendar.
- Commitments to the FA Cup, which now has exclusive weekends for its key rounds.
- Broadcaster obligations, requiring 33 weekends of Premier League fixtures.
These overlapping demands have left little flexibility to stage a full Boxing Day lineup.
Broadcast and Travel Challenges
Unlike a typical weekend, Friday offers only one broadcast slot, making it difficult to televise multiple Premier League games live. Compounding the issue is the limited public transport on Boxing Day, which complicates fan attendance across the country.
Despite the league’s promise to release its December and January TV picks by mid-October, fixture adjustments have only been finalized through December 22, leaving fans uncertain about the holiday schedule.
Meanwhile, the EFL (English Football League) is expected to maintain its traditional full Boxing Day programme, highlighting the contrast with the Premier League’s pared-down plan.
Looking Back: Boxing Day Football Through the Years
When Boxing Day last landed on a Friday — back in 2014 — fans enjoyed a full slate of matches, including Raheem Sterling’s winner for Liverpool and Wayne Rooney’s standout performance for Manchester United.
In recent years, the number of Boxing Day games has varied:
- 2024: Eight matches
- 2023: Five matches
- 2022: Seven matches
These numbers underline how rare it is to see such a slim schedule on one of football’s most festive days.
What to Expect in 2026 and Beyond
Fans can take some comfort in knowing this disruption is temporary. Boxing Day 2026 will fall on a Saturday, allowing for a return to tradition. However, the expanded Champions League and the FA Cup’s exclusive weekends will continue to create fixture congestion in future seasons.
For now, the Premier League’s Boxing Day spectacle looks set to shrink — a rare interruption to one of English football’s favorite holiday customs.