The Premier League will return for its annual tradition of Boxing Day matches, which will kick off the annual batch of fixtures over the festive period.
England’s top flight is not the only league playing over the festive period, with the country’s lower leagues and Italy’s Serie A also in action between Christmas and New Year. The Premier League, however, takes center stage during this period and particularly on Boxing Day, a holiday on which the league has long had a stronghold.
Ahead of this year’s Boxing Day slate, here’s what you need to know about this season’s schedule and the long history of fixtures on the date.
Premier League Boxing Day Schedule
All US and Eastern times
Thursday December 26
Manchester City vs. Everton, 7:30 a.m. (USA Network and Fubo)
Southampton v West Ham United, 10am (Peacock)
Nottingham Forest v Tottenham Hotspur, 10am (Peacock)
Newcastle United vs. Aston Villa, 10 a.m. (USA Network and Fubo)
Chelsea v Fulham, 10am (Peacock)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace, 10am (Peacock)
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Manchester United, 12:45 p.m. (USA Network and Fubo)
Liverpool vs. Leicester City, 3 p.m. (USA Network and Fubo)
Friday December 27
Brighton and Hove Albion v Brentford, 2.45pm (Peacock)
Arsenal v Ipswich Town, 3:15 p.m. (USA Network and Fubo)
What is Boxing Day?
Boxing Day became a national holiday in the United Kingdom in 1871, celebrated annually on Boxing Day. The exact reasons for the creation of this holiday are unknown, although many believe the name comes from the Victorian-era practice of employers giving their employees Christmas boxes on December 26 and giving them the day off .
History of English football on Boxing Day
England’s top leagues have held matches on Boxing Day since 1888, when the Football League was established. For the first six or seven decades, a full series of matches was scheduled over Christmas and Boxing Day and teams played two days in a row. The hope was to boost attendance figures, as many people used the two-day holiday as an excuse to leave their homes and gather outside.
The last English league match at Christmas was in 1965, when Blackburn Rovers won 4-2 at Blackpool, as more people began to celebrate the holiday at home. Boxing Day, however, remains a popular date for matches and continues to be one of the most important days in the football calendar. This year the Championship and League One will also play a near full schedule on Boxing Day (you can watch the matches on Paramount+or check out the Golazo Show on CBS Sports Golazo Network to follow all the action in one place), while the non-league teams will also play on December 26. Elsewhere in Europe, Rangers’ trip to St. Mirren (12:45 p.m., CBS Sports Network) headlines the Scottish Premiership and the Belgian Pro League will also be in action.
The Premier League now chooses to regularly spread a full run of matches over a few days, and this year has allocated two matches for Friday December 27. Most of the Week 18 games, however, will take place on Boxing Day.
