The schedule indicates a solitary Premier League contest will unfold on Boxing Day this season.
As December progresses, anticipation for Christmas intensifies. However, for ardent football followers, the day following Christmas typically holds the most significant allure.
Reasoning behind the singular Premier League fixture on Boxing Day this year
On the 26th of December, just a single game will be contested in the English top division: Manchester United versus Newcastle United, scheduled for an 8pm kickoff.
An intriguing match, undoubtedly, yet dwarfed in comparison to the eight games played last year, commencing at 12:30pm, 3pm, 5:30pm, and 8pm.
Happily, current forecasts suggest this year represents an exception, not a developing trend, with the Premier League citing a calendar overburdened by expanded European competitions, alongside Boxing Day landing on a Friday.
“The Premier League acknowledges the confluence of circumstances resulting in a diminished number of Boxing Day games this season – which impacts a deeply rooted tradition within English football,” relayed a statement issued by the Premier League in October.
“Numerous complications now beset Premier League fixture scheduling, these stem from the expansion of European club competitions.
“These complications have ultimately reduced the Premier League to a 33-weekend competition – a reduction compared to previous seasons, in spite of it remaining a 380-match competition since 1995.
“Operating with fewer available weekends, the League must adhere to the calendar’s configuration. The League guarantees that the upcoming season will feature a greater number of Premier League matches on Boxing Day – given the date falls on a Saturday.”
In the view of FourFourTwo, the league’s eagerness to protect what it terms an ‘important tradition in English football’ is a source of relief.
The Championship, League One, and League Two will proceed with their full schedules of Boxing Day matches, potentially providing an opportunity to highlight those divisions; however, the absence of a full lineup of top-tier games will be felt.
Nevertheless, football fans will only need to exercise patience for one extra day this year, with seven Premier League matches scheduled for December 27th.
