The Premier League is set to have just one fixture scheduled on Boxing Day this year.
As per tradition, a number of top flight matches are annually played on December 26 after the Christmas Day festivities.
Boxing Day football is set for a major break in tradition
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Boxing Day football is set for a major break in tradition
EFL fixtures across the Championship, League One and League Two follow suit in what is the busiest time in the football schedule.
However there will only be one single Premier League match on Boxing Day in 2025.
The expansion of UEFA competitions and moving FA Cup matches to just the weekends appear to have affected the scheduling.
To meet their contract obligation, the Premier League must provide 33 weekends of football to broadcasters.
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Boxing Day in 2025 falls on a Friday and, whilst the report says a final decision is yet to have been made, just one match could be televised.
This would follow the usual format of a single Premier League fixture being played at the end of the working week.
Despite the massive break in tradition that is sure to upset football-loving families, talkSPORT understands this is a one-off and next year, when Boxing Day lies on a Saturday, it will be back to normal.
In exchange for the FA agreeing to drop FA Cup replays, the Premier League agreed to restore the FA Cup fifth round to a blank weekend.
They also agreed to not play top flight fixtures on the same weekend as the FA Cup sixth round.
The only way to get 33 weekends into the 2025/26 season is for 27 December to be one of the regular match day fixtures.
Instead of a packed day of football, just one match is due to be played
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Instead of a packed day of football, just one match is due to be playedCredit: Getty
As things stand, all 20 Premier League teams are scheduled to play on December 27, although some fixtures are likely to be moved.
However, the Premier League were due to announce TV broadcast dates for the entirety of December and January on October 15.
Last season there were eight matches played on Boxing Day, which fell on a Thursday, and the other two were staged a day later.
Boxing Day was last on a Friday in 2014, and all 20 Premier League teams played that day.
Festive football scheduling concerns
This year's lack of Boxing Day action follows another controversial decision made during the festive period.
In December 2023, Wolves hosted Chelsea in the Premier League on Christmas Eve.
talkSPORT will still bring you all the latest despite the change
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talkSPORT will still bring you all the latest despite the changeCredit: Instagram: @SamMatterface
It was the first time in 28 years that a top flight match had been set for that day.
Such scheduling came despite travel fears for fans, especially those of Chelsea who made the trip to Molineux.
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Christmas Eve is a traditional day of travel for families across the country and public transport services can be reduced.
The Chelsea Supporters Trust called the initial reports of the date 'deeply worrying', and labelled the decision as 'unacceptable'.
Boxing Day 2024 Premier League results
Manchester City 1-1 Everton
Bournemouth 0-0 Crystal Palace
Chelsea 1-2 Fulham
Newcastle United 3-0 Aston Villa
Nottingham Forest 1-0 Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton 0-1 West Ham
Wolves 2-0 Manchester United
Liverpool 3-1 Leicester City