As it stands, Newcastle United will not play on Boxing Day during the 2025/26 Premier League season.
The new Premier League fixtures have been announced, and the traditional round of fixtures on 26th December is conspicuous by its absence.
Instead, Newcastle United and their Premier League rivals are scheduled to compete on 27th December. Eddie Howe’s side head to Old Trafford to face Manchester United on that day.
Like every Premier League fixture, it is subject to change. Plenty of Newcastle United games will be rearranged, as Sky Sports and TNT Sports get set to determine which matches they want to broadcast.
Harvey Barnes scores for Newcastle United against Manchester United in the Premier League.
Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images
Newcastle United await Boxing Day decision after Premier League statement
Manchester United vs Newcastle United on 27th December will surely be selected by one of the broadcasters, and there is a chance it could be brought forward 24 hours and played on Boxing Day.
In a statement on the Premier League’s website, they wrote: “In keeping with our commitment to providing a greater rest period over the Christmas and New Year period, no club will be requested to play less than 48 hours between Match Rounds 18 and 19 (December 27 and December 30). Matches in Round 18 (December 27) are available for movement to Boxing Day for live broadcast selection. Each Club has a home match on either 27 December or 3 January, with travel reduced on 27 December and 30 December.”
The Magpies’ game at Old Trafford is part of match-week 18, which means that the travelling Toon Army will know whether or not the game is being moved by October.
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The Premier League have stated that games between match-week 14 and 24 will be chosen by broadcasters on 15th October, but that is just an estimated date.
Newcastle United unlikely to meet Bryan Mbeumo when they face Man United in December
Newcastle United fans were hoping that Bryan Mbeumo would be part of their team for the 2025/26 season and beyond.
He was Eddie Howe’s top target, but now Newcastle have decided that Mbeumo is too expensive.
The Magpies are looking elsewhere for an attacker, with Mbeumo likely to join Manchester United. They are still the favourites to sign the 25-year-old, despite interest from Tottenham Hotspur.
Ruben Amorim will hope that Mbeumo becomes a key player for his side if he does arrive, but he will not be able to rely on the forward against Newcastle United in December.
That is because Mbeumo will be at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations with Cameroon. The tournament begins on 21st December, with the final scheduled for 18th January.
The group stage will still be going on when Manchester United welcome Newcastle to the North West, with Cameroon taking on Ivory Coast on 28th December.