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Premier League Breaks Boxing Day Tradition With Only One 2025 Fixture

The league cites expanded European competitions as the driver under FIFA 72‑hour recovery limits.

Overview

  • Manchester United host Newcastle United at Old Trafford in the sole Boxing Day match for the 2025/26 season.
  • Most of the round was shifted to the weekend after a contract with the FA to stage 33 of 38 matchdays on weekends constrained midweek options.
  • Officials point to the expanded UEFA club calendar and mandated recovery windows as reasons for reducing the usual December 26 program.
  • The Premier League describes the arrangement as a one‑off and says a fuller Boxing Day slate is planned for 2026.
  • The cutback is rare for a date that typically draws big crowds and TV audiences, with so few Boxing Day games last seen in 1982.