Boxing Day Reduced to One Match; Schedule Shifted

The Premier League announced it will stage only one Boxing Day fixture — Manchester United v Newcastle at Old Trafford (20:00 BST, live on Sky) — with the rest of the round moved to December 27–28 and a fuller midweek programme through January 1. League officials said expanded European competitions and a reworked FA Cup calendar leave the competition operating across just 33 broadcaster-mandated weekends, forcing broadcasters to pick live fixtures and reshuffle Matchweeks 18–20. The Premier League has increased recovery periods so no club will play within 60 hours of another match. Broadcasters' selections have prompted adjusted kick-off times for several high-profile games, including Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge on Dec 27 (17:30), Bournemouth on Dec 30 (19:30), Manchester City away on Jan 4 (17:30) and Fulham at Craven Cottage on Jan 7 (19:30). Chelsea face a particularly congested festive run, with eight December fixtures including Champions League and Carabao Cup ties. The League acknowledged the break with the Boxing Day tradition and said it expects a fuller Boxing Day slate next season when the date falls on a Saturday.