Only one Boxing Day game because of Uefa – Premier League

The Premier League claims that the “expansion of European club competitions” has resulted in the English top flight playing just one game on December 26.

Although it has been a long-standing tradition in English football for Boxing Day, Manchester United’s home game against Newcastle United (20:00 GMT) will be the only Premier League game this year.

The Premier League acknowledged the circumstances that have resulted in a smaller number of games on Boxing Day this year, which has an impact on a significant tradition in English football, in a statement released after confirming the fixture list for this year’s festive fixtures.

Due to the expansion of European club competitions, which led to a revision of our domestic calendar ahead of the previous season, including changes to the FA Cup, there are now several issues with Premier League fixture scheduling.

Despite having 380 matches since 1995, this ultimately left the Premier League as a 33-weekend competition, which is fewer than previous years.

Boxing Day is held on Friday this year, with seven games taking place on Saturday, December 27.

Before matchweek 19 begins with six games being played on Tuesday, December 30th, Sunderland face Leeds, and Crystal Palace face Tottenham, on Sunday, December 28th, the final two games will take place on Sunday, December, with Sunderland facing Leeds and Crystal Palace facing Tottenham.

The Premier League continued, “The league can guarantee that there will be more Premier League games on Boxing Day because the date is a Saturday.”

Special arrangements have been made to allow more time to pass between games over the festive season, in line with our commitment to clubs as in previous years.

Instead of the six midweeks that were once used for Uefa’s club competitions, where the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League now have one week of exposure, the calendar now spans 10 midweeks.

The Conference League’s final game is scheduled for the regular season for the EFL Cup quarter-finals, and it’s also held on consecutive weeks in December.

Crystal Palace are in the Conference League and have drawn drawn drawn away from Arsenal until the final eight of the EFL Cup.

Although a date for the tie has not yet been established, it might have to be held on December 23, the day after each Premier League team’s game.

On December 27, Palace will return to action the day after that.

Friday, December 26

Saturday, December 27

28 December, Sunday