Aston Villa will take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge after Christmas
John McGinn of Aston Villa clashes with Romeo Lavia of Chelsea
John McGinn of Aston Villa clashes with Romeo Lavia of Chelsea
When the Premier League fixtures for the new 2025/26 season were released on Wednesday morning, one detail in particular caused great confusion.
Football on Boxing Day is part of England's festive tradition, but there are currently no Premier League matches scheduled for December 26.
Villa’s fixture list shows that Chelsea will host Unai Emery’s side after Christmas, but on the 27th instead of the 26th.
Fans were quick to spot that Matchweek 18 falls two days after Christmas, but the Premier League has since released a statement.
The league reiterated its commitment to allowing players enough time to recover during the busy winter period.
It also confirmed that matches on December 27 can still be moved to Boxing Day for live broadcast selection.
Last season, eight Premier League matches were moved to Boxing Day, while two fixtures were played on December 27.
A statement read: “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.”
Villa start their season hosting Newcastle United on Saturday, August 16 at 12:30pm.
What did you make of Villa's fixture list? Tell us here