Premier League's Exciting Boxing Day Schedule for 2026

The Premier League has laid out a bumper festive schedule, confirming seven matches on Boxing Day in 2026 as it moves to reassure players, managers and fans over the congested winter calendar.

Boxing Day, which falls on a Saturday that year, will once again be a centrepiece. Four fixtures kick off at 15:00 GMT, with games also set for 12:30, 17:30 and a late 20:00 start. It marks a sharp increase on last year’s pared-back programme, when just a single match was staged on 26 December.

Boxing Day back with a bang

The day begins at 12:30 with Aston Villa hosting Leeds, before a busy 15:00 slate: 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 out the day under the lights at 20:00.

The schedule doesn’t ease up. 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 at 19:00.

From there, the league moves into a rolling run of rounds stretching to Thursday, 7 January.

Night football and New Year focus

A full set of midweek evening matches is locked in for 29–30 December. On Tuesday, 29 December, Hull face Leeds and Spurs meet Brighton, both at 19:30, before Everton host Manchester City at 20:15. Wednesday, 30 December, is even heavier: Coventry v Brentford, Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth, Fulham v Arsenal, Manchester United v Sunderland and Newcastle v Nottingham Forest all kick off at 19:30. Aston Villa v Liverpool and Ipswich v Chelsea round off the night at 20:15.

New Year’s Day brings just one game, but it stands alone in prime time: Leeds v Everton at 20:00 on Friday, 1 January.

The rest of that round unfolds across the weekend of 2–3 January. Saturday opens with Brighton v Manchester United at 12:30, followed by 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. On Sunday, 3 January, Chelsea host Newcastle at 14:00 before Manchester City face Spurs at 16:30.

The fourth round of festive fixtures is then spread across three nights, from 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 period closes on Thursday, 7 January, when Manchester United meet Newcastle at 20:00.

Fans, broadcasters and a 60-hour pledge

The league has brought forward its Christmas and New Year scheduling announcement after talks with broadcast partners, the Football Supporters’ Association and representatives from club Fan Advisory Boards. The aim is clear: give supporters more certainty around travel and ticket planning while responding to mounting concerns over fixture congestion.

Television picks have already been confirmed up to Monday, 2 November. Selections for the remaining games in November and December will follow in the weeks commencing 21 September and 19 October.

Crucially, the Premier League has guaranteed every club at least a 60-hour break between fixtures over the festive run, a direct response to the expanded European and international calendars that have stretched squads to their limits.

The games are coming thick and fast. The league’s message is that this time, at least, the gaps between them won’t.