Full Premier League 2026–27 Christmas Schedule: Big Changes, Boxing Day Mayhem

Matches during the holidays have been locked in.

Fans in England love soccer at Christmas. | Bradley Collyer/PA Images/Getty Images

Premier League clubs have been given their Christmas schedules seven weeks earlier than last season, following pressure on the league and U.K. broadcasters to act sooner in order to minimize the negative impact and potential for disruption on fans.

Although Premier League fixtures for 2026–27 were made public in June, pretty much every match—with certain midweek exceptions—is provisionally scheduled for 3 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon, with dates and kickoff times subject to change until just a few weeks before.

That is because TV rights holders in the U.K. will take their pick of which matches to broadcast live, which involves changing the time—earlier or later—or potentially the day—to Friday, Sunday or Monday. If this happens too close to the event it can wreak havoc for fans attending matches, usually regarding transport to and from the stadium—and particularly for the away support.

The vast majority still use public transport to attend Premier League matches.

Accessing transport at certain times—like Sunday nights—is bad enough year round. But it’s even worse at Christmas when bus and train services run less frequently or shut down altogether. So, as much advance notice as possible is helpful.

The Daily Mail writes Manchester United were involved in talks with the Premier League and broadcasters to request that fans “be looked after” when considering TV picks. Several other clubs are believed to have been in similar contact.

Things are still not perfect. Manchester City fans traveling to and from Newcastle for an 8 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, Dec. 26, will be a challenge, for example. But at least the game chosen for a late start on Sunday, Dec. 27, is an all-London clash between Arsenal and Crystal Palace.

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Big Change to Christmas Fixtures From Last Season

There was only one match on Boxing Day 2025. | Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA/Getty Images

Soccer during the Christmas period has long been a big deal in England. Although matches haven’t been played on Christmas Day since the early 1960s, Boxing Day—Dec. 26—has become a sacred part of the calendar.

It was once the case that all 20 Premier League clubs would play on Boxing Day, regardless of what actual day of the week it fell. Change has meant TV picks spread the matchday over two or three days, yet as recently as 2024–25, most clubs still played on Dec. 26, which was a Thursday that year. Last season, there was criticism and major disappointment because only one match—Manchester United 1–0 Newcastle United—actually took place on Boxing Day.

This season, which sees Boxing Day fall on a Saturday, there are seven matches scheduled. The other three for that matchday will happen on Dec. 27.

Part of the attraction to Christmas soccer in England is the relentlessness of it. While other leagues—La Liga included—take time off during and/or after the holidays, the Premier League goes harder. In addition to Dec. 26/27, there is a full slate of matches on Dec. 29/30, on Jan. 1/2/3 and on Jan. 5/6/7. Every club will play four times within a maximum of 13 days.

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Premier League Christmas Fixtures—Dec. 26–Jan. 7

Saturday, Dec. 26

• Aston Villa vs. Leeds United (12:30 p.m. GMT, 7:30 a.m. ET)
• Everton vs. Sunderland (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Fulham vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Ipswich Town vs. Brentford (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Tottenham Hotspur vs. Bournemouth (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Hull City vs. Liverpool (5:30 p.m. GMT, 12:30 p.m. ET)
• Newcastle United vs. Manchester City (8 p.m. GMT, 3 p.m. ET)

Sunday, Dec. 27

• Coventry City vs. Chelsea (2 p.m. GMT, 9 a.m. ET)
• Manchester United vs. Nottingham Forest (4:30 p.m. GMT, 11:30 a.m. ET)
• Crystal Palace vs. Arsenal (7 p.m. GMT, 2 p.m. ET)

Tuesday, Dec. 29

• Hull City vs. Leeds United (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Tottenham Hotspur vs. Brighton & Hove Albion (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Everton vs. Manchester City (8:15 p.m. GMT, 3:15 p.m. ET)

Wednesday, Dec. 30

• Coventry City vs. Brentford (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Crystal Palace vs. Bournemouth (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Fulham vs. Arsenal (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Manchester United vs. Sunderland (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Newcastle United vs. Nottingham Forest (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Aston Villa vs. Liverpool (8:15 p.m. GMT, 3:15 p.m. ET)
• Ipswich Town vs. Chelsea (8:15 p.m. GMT, 3:15 p.m. ET)

Friday, Jan. 1

• Leeds United vs. Everton (8 p.m. GMT, 3 p.m. ET)

Saturday, Jan. 2

• Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Manchester United (12:30 p.m. GMT, 7:30 a.m. ET)
• Arsenal vs. Ipswich Town (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Brentford vs. Crystal Palace (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Liverpool vs. Coventry City (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Nottingham Forest vs. Fulham (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Sunderland vs. Hull City (3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. ET)
• Bournemouth vs. Aston Villa (5:30 p.m. GMT, 12:30 p.m. ET)

Sunday, Jan. 3

• Chelsea vs. Newcastle United (2 p.m. GMT, 9 a.m. ET)
• Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur (4:30 p.m. GMT, 11:30 a.m. ET)

Tuesday, Jan. 5

• Arsenal vs. Brentford (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Bournemouth (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Everton vs. Aston Villa (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Nottingham Forest vs. Hull City (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Sunderland vs. Liverpool (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)

Wednesday, Jan. 6

• Crystal Palace vs. Chelsea (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Fulham vs. Tottenham Hotspur (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Ipswich Town vs. Coventry City (7:30 p.m. GMT, 2:30 p.m. ET)
• Leeds United vs. Manchester City (8:15 p.m. GMT, 3:15 p.m. ET)

Thursday, Jan. 7

• Manchester United vs. Newcastle United (8 p.m. GMT, 3 p.m. ET)

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