The Premier League has announced amendments to fixtures in Matchweeks 18, 19, and 20 in December 2025 and January 2026. The changes come as a result of selections for live TV coverage in the UK. This article will provide an overview of these changes, the reasons behind them, and what they mean for fans.
The Premier League has acknowledged that circumstances have led to a reduced number of matches on Boxing Day this season – impacting an important tradition in English football. The challenges to fixture scheduling are rooted in the expansion of European club competitions which necessitated a revision of our domestic calendar ahead of last season.
This included changes to the FA Cup schedule which left the Premier League as a competition spanning over only 33 weekends - fewer than previous seasons despite being a competition with 380 matches since its inception in 1995.
Impact on Boxing Day matches
With fewer weekends available due to how the calendar falls this year, there will be fewer matches on Boxing Day. However, fans can look forward to more games next season when Boxing Day falls on a Saturday.
In keeping with their commitment towards clubs' welfare during festive periods, special arrangements have been made by the league authorities. These arrangements allow more time between games played across this period ensuring no club plays within sixty hours of another match. This is aimed at allowing players greater recovery time between rounds 18,19 and 20.
Revised schedule
Kick-off times listed below are at GMT unless otherwise mentioned:
Friday 26 December 2025
- 20:00 Manchester United v Newcastle United (Sky Sports)
Saturday 27 December
- 12:30 Nottingham Forest v Manchester City (TNT Sports)
- Arsenal v Brighton & Hove Albion
- Brentford v AFC Bournemouth
- Burnley v Everton
- Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers
- West Ham United v Fulham
- 17:30 Chelsea v Aston Villa (Sky Sports)
Sunday 28 December
- 14:00 Sunderland v Leeds United (Sky Sports)
- 16:30 Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur (Sky Sports)
Tuesday 30 December
- 19:30 Burnley v Newcastle (Sky Sports)
- 19:30 Chelsea v Bournemouth (Sky Sports)
- 19:30 Nott'm Forest v Everton (Sky Sports)
- 19:30 West Ham v Brighton (Sky Sports)
- 20:15 Arsenal v Aston Villa (Sky Sports)
- 20:15 Man Utd v Wolves (Sky Sports)
Thursday 1 January 2026
- 17:30 Crystal Palace v Fulham (Sky Sports)
- 17:30 Liverpool v Leeds (Sky Sports)
- 20:00 Brentford v Spurs (Sky Sports)*
- 20:00 Sunderland v Man City (Sky Sports)*
*Due to the movement of Spurs and Sunderland's previous matches to 28 December
Saturday 3 January
- 12:30 Aston Villa v Nott'm Forest (Sky Sports)
- Brighton v Burnley
- Wolves v West Ham
- 17:30 Bournemouth v Arsenal (Sky Sports)
Sunday 4 January
- 12:30 Leeds v Man Utd (TNT Sports)
- 15:00 Everton v Brentford (Sky Sports)*
- 15:00 Fulham v Liverpool (Sky Sports)*
- 15:00 Newcastle v Crystal Palace (Sky Sports)*
*Due to Brentford, Fulham, Liverpool and Palace all playing on 1 January
- 15:00 Spurs v Sunderland (Sky Sports)
- 17:30 Man City v Chelsea (Sky Sports)
Tuesday 6 January
- 20:00 West Ham v Nott'm Forest (Sky Sports)
Wednesday 7 January
- 19:30 Bournemouth v Spurs (Sky Sports)
- 19:30 Brentford v Sunderland (Sky Sports)
- 19:30 Crystal Palace v Aston Villa (Sky Sports)
- 19:30 Everton v Wolves (Sky Sports)
- 19:30 Fulham v Chelsea (Sky Sports)
- 19:30 Man City v Brighton (Sky Sports)
- 20:15 Burnley v Man Utd (Sky Sports)
- 20:15 Newcastle v Leeds (Sky Sports)
Thursday 8 January
- 20:00 Arsenal v Liverpool (Sky Sports)
These changes are a result of balancing tradition with practicality while ensuring player welfare during a busy period in the football calendar. While there may be fewer matches this Boxing Day, fans can look forward to more games next season when Boxing Day falls on a Saturday. Despite these changes, the Premier League remains committed to delivering an exciting season for sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike.
