Premier League Announces Packed Boxing Day Schedule for 2026

The Premier League has thrown open its festive plans, confirming a packed Boxing Day in 2026 and a Christmas-New Year programme designed to balance drama with player welfare.

Seven matches will light up Boxing Day, a major jump from last year’s subdued schedule of just one game. With 26 December falling on a Saturday, the league has gone back to its traditional wall-to-wall offering: four fixtures at 15:00 GMT, flanked by games at 12:30, 17:30 and a late 20:00 kick-off.

Aston Villa v Leeds gets the day started at 12:30, before a 15:00 slate that includes Everton v Sunderland, Fulham v Brighton, Ipswich v Brentford and Spurs v AFC Bournemouth. Hull v Liverpool takes the 17:30 slot, with Newcastle v Manchester City closing the day under the lights at 20:00.

The schedule doesn’t ease up there. Three more fixtures follow on Sunday, 27 December: Coventry v Chelsea at 14:00, Manchester United v Nottingham Forest at 16:30 and Crystal Palace v Arsenal in a 19:00 evening kick-off.

Festive Run-In Mapped Out

From there, the calendar tightens. A full round of evening midweek fixtures will be played on 29-30 December, before the only New Year’s Day game sees Leeds host Everton at 20:00 on Friday, 1 January.

On Tuesday, 29 December, Hull v Leeds and Spurs v Brighton both kick off at 19:30, with Everton v Manchester City set for 20:15. The following night, Wednesday, 30 December, brings a heavy slate: Coventry v Brentford, Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth, Fulham v Arsenal, Manchester United v Sunderland and Newcastle v Nottingham Forest all at 19:30, followed by Aston Villa v Liverpool and Ipswich v Chelsea at 20:15.

New Year’s weekend then carries the bulk of that round. On Saturday, 2 January, Brighton v Manchester United opens at 12:30, before a 15:00 cluster of Arsenal v Ipswich, Brentford v Crystal Palace, Liverpool v Coventry, Nottingham Forest v Fulham and Sunderland v Hull. AFC Bournemouth v Aston Villa takes the 17:30 slot. Sunday, 3 January, rounds off the weekend with Chelsea v Newcastle at 14:00 and Manchester City v Spurs at 16:30.

The fourth round of festive fixtures is spread across three nights, 5-7 January. Tuesday, 5 January features Arsenal v Brentford, Brighton v AFC Bournemouth, Everton v Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest v Hull at 19:30, with Sunderland v Liverpool at 20:15. On Wednesday, 6 January, Crystal Palace v Chelsea, Fulham v Spurs and Ipswich v Coventry all kick off at 19:30, before Leeds v Manchester City at 20:15. The festive run closes on Thursday, 7 January, with Manchester United v Newcastle at 20:00.

Balancing Broadcast, Fans and Player Welfare

This year’s announcement has landed earlier than usual. The Premier League has brought forward its Christmas and New Year scheduling after talks with broadcast partners, the Football Supporters’ Association and Fan Advisory Board representatives from clubs, aiming to give fans more time to plan travel and tickets.

Television picks have already been confirmed up to Monday, 2 November. Broadcast selections for the remaining fixtures in November and December will follow in the weeks starting 21 September and 19 October.

Amid growing concern over fixture congestion, especially after expansions to European and international calendars, the league has also moved to protect players. It has guaranteed every club at least a 60-hour break between matches over the festive period.

The games will come thick and fast. But this time, the Premier League insists, not at any cost.