Premier League Boxing Day Fixtures for 2026
The Premier League has laid out a bumper festive schedule for 2026, confirming seven Boxing Day fixtures and a packed run of games stretching into early January.
After last year’s muted programme, when just a single match took place on 26 December, the traditional football feast is back in force. This time, Boxing Day falls on a Saturday – and the league has filled it.
Boxing Day back to full throttle
Seven matches will be played on 26 December, spread across four kick-off slots.
The day begins at 12:30 GMT with Aston Villa hosting Leeds. The familiar 15:00 window then returns with four simultaneous fixtures: Everton v Sunderland, Fulham v Brighton, Ipswich v Brentford and Spurs v AFC Bournemouth.
The evening ramps up the stakes. Hull welcome Liverpool at 17:30, before Newcastle face champions-elect hopefuls Manchester City under the lights at 20:00 to close out the day.
It is a significant expansion on last year’s offering and a clear nod to supporters who see Boxing Day football as a non-negotiable part of the calendar.
Extended festive run into January
The action barely pauses. Three more matches 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 straight into a run of evening midweek fixtures on 29–30 December. Hull v Leeds and Spurs v Brighton both kick off at 19:30 on Tuesday, 29 December, with Everton v Manchester City at 20:15 providing the late headline.
Wednesday, 30 December, is even busier. Coventry v Brentford, Crystal Palace v AFC Bournemouth, Fulham v Arsenal, Manchester United v Sunderland and Newcastle v Nottingham Forest all start at 19:30. Two heavyweight clashes then follow at 20:15: Aston Villa v Liverpool and Ipswich v Chelsea.
New Year’s Day is quieter but still carries a prime-time fixture. Leeds host Everton at 20:00 in the only game on Friday, 1 January.
That round is completed over the weekend of 2–3 January. Saturday opens with Brighton v Manchester United at 12:30, then a 15:00 block featuring 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 face Newcastle at 14:00 before Manchester City meet Spurs at 16:30 in a standout clash.
The fourth round of festive fixtures is then spread across 5–7 January. Tuesday, 5 January, brings Arsenal v Brentford, Brighton v AFC Bournemouth, Everton v Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest v Hull, all at 19:30, followed by 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, with Leeds v Manchester City at 20:15. The festive run closes on Thursday, 7 January, when Manchester United host Newcastle at 20:00.
Fans, broadcasters and the 60-hour promise
The Premier League has moved early with this announcement, publishing its Christmas and New Year schedule after talks with broadcast partners, the Football Supporters’ Association and representatives from club Fan Advisory Boards.
Television selections have already been confirmed up to Monday, 2 November, with the remaining broadcast picks for November and December to follow in the weeks beginning 21 September and 19 October.
At the heart of the planning sits one key guarantee: every club will receive at least a 60-hour break between fixtures over the festive period. That commitment is designed to ease concerns over player welfare at a time when the European and international calendars have both expanded and fixture congestion has become a flashpoint.
The games will come thick and fast. The league insists the rest will too. Now it falls to the clubs to navigate a festive run that could shape their entire season.
