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Could Boxing Day football be
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disappearing from the Premier League? It
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might sound shocking, but this year the
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Premier League might miss out on Boxing
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Day football tradition. Only one match
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is expected on the 26th of December this
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Christmas. Why? Because Boxing Day is a
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Friday and broadcast contracts demand
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Premier League games over weekends. With
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UEFA and FA Cup competitions expanding,
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the schedule is further cramped. Only
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five midweek rounds are allowed, forcing
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a shift to the usual Boxing Day fixtures
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to the weekend and Monday, December the
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29th. Back in 2014 when Boxing Day was
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on a Friday, all 10 matches happened on
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that day. But this year, it looks like a
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typical weekend with the majority of
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games on the Saturday and Sunday. The
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EFL and National League are sticking to
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tradition with their Boxing Day matches
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on the 26th. So, while Premier League
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fans might miss out this year, tradition
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isn't gone forever because in 2026,
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Boxing Day falls on a Saturday, fans can
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therefore expect a return to normal.
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It's interesting how broadcasting and
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scheduling can reshape traditions we
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often take for granted. Do you think
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it's time for the Premier League to
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rethink its schedule and commitments?
