Boxing Day football is one of the great traditions of the English game. For generations, fans have woken up the day after Christmas, headed to the stadium or switched on the television, and settled in for a full slate of Premier League action. After a rare interruption last season, that tradition is firmly back in 2026.
Only one Premier League match was played on Boxing Day in 2025, when Manchester United beat Newcastle United 1-0 at Old Trafford. It was the fewest Boxing Day games in Premier League history, with the expanded European calendar and changes to the FA Cup contributing to the unusual schedule. This year, with Boxing Day falling on a Saturday, the league has restored a proper festive program with seven matches confirmed for December 26.
Full Premier League Boxing Day Schedule
Here are the seven confirmed fixtures for Saturday, December 26, with all times in GMT (Local):
- 12:30 p.m. – Aston Villa vs Leeds United
- 3:00 p.m. – Everton vs Sunderland
- 3:00 p.m. – Fulham vs Brighton
- 3:00 p.m. – Ipswich Town vs Brentford
- 3:00 p.m. – Tottenham Hotspur vs Bournemouth
- 5:30 p.m. – Hull City vs Liverpool
- 8:00 p.m. – Newcastle United vs Manchester City
The day begins with Aston Villa hosting Leeds before four matches kick off simultaneously at 3 p.m. The action then continues with Hull City welcoming Liverpool at 5:30 p.m. before Newcastle’s meeting with Manchester City brings Boxing Day to a close at 8 p.m.
The Premier League has also confirmed the television selections for the headline fixtures. Aston Villa vs Leeds will be shown live by TNT Sports, while Sky Sports will carry Hull vs Liverpool and Newcastle vs Manchester City, giving viewers a three-game televised lineup on December 26. In the US, NBC/Peacock hold the TV/streaming rights.
Why the Boxing Day Schedule Matters
The return of seven matches is a significant change from last year’s schedule. Manchester United’s victory over Newcastle was the only game played on December 26 in 2025, with the remainder of the festive fixtures spread across December 27 and 28. Supporters were unhappy with the break from one of English football’s most familiar traditions, and the Premier League has responded with an earlier announcement this year to give fans more time to make travel and holiday plans.
The rest of Round 17 will follow on December 27, with Coventry hosting Chelsea, Manchester United welcoming Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace facing Arsenal. The Premier League has also built at least 60 hours of recovery time between matches into the Christmas and New Year schedule, an effort to ease the pressure created by an increasingly crowded football calendar.
For supporters, though, the biggest takeaway is much simpler. Boxing Day football is back, and there will be seven Premier League games to watch on December 26, including Liverpool, Manchester City and several of the league’s biggest clubs.
For complete coverage of the Premier League and every major league this season, here is a list of where to watch every major league in the U.S..
Premier League Boxing Day Tradition Returns With Seven Matches Confirmed