The festive fixture period will look different for the London clubs.placeholder image
The festive fixture period will look different for the London clubs. | Getty Images
The festive fixture calendar is set to look a little different for the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur this year.
Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea could enjoy a rare two-day break over Christmas Day and Boxing Day this season with the Premier League looking at a curveball decision to slash the number of matches on December 26.
The top flight, which rests on Christmas Day, usually returns with a bang on Boxing Day with fixtures taking place across the country. However, this year, there will be just one Premier League match on December 26, 2025.
talkSPORT reports that the expansion of UEFA competitions and the moving of FA Cup matches appear to have affected traditional scheduling. The Premier League are contractually obliged to provide 33 weekends of football to broadcasters.
Premier League expected to slash Boxing Day fixtures
Boxing Day 2025 falls on a Friday and, although it is yet to be confirmed, the Premier League is expected to have just one televised fixture. The division would therefore the traditional weekend schedule with one match being played on the Friday evening - that was Leeds United v West Ham last week - and then more matches on Saturday and Sunday.
The decision will no doubt ruffle some feathers among fans of the London clubs, with a Boxing Day trip to the football a tradition for many. It is thought that this decision is just a one-off and a result of the calendar, with usual programming to be resumed for the 2026/27 campaign.
It comes as a result of the Premier League promising to restore the FA Cup fifth round to a blank weekend in return for the cup dropping replays. It was also agreed that Premier League matches would not be played on the same weekend as the FA Cup sixth round.
Therefore, the only way to get 33 weekends into the 2025/26 season is for December 27 to be one of the regular match day fixtures. The top flight was due to announce TV broadcast dates for December and January on October 15 but has not done so.
Arsenal, Chelsea and Crystal Palace due to play at home on December 27
Every London club is due to be playing in the capital on December 27 but it remains to be seen which match is chosen to be moved to Boxing Day. The fixtures involving teams in London are:
Arsenal v Brighton
Brentford v AFC Bournemouth
Chelsea v Aston Villa
Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur
West Ham v Fulham
Last season, Chelsea were beaten 2-1 by Fulham at Stamford Bridge in a west London derby on Boxing Day. Tottenham Hotspur lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest with Crystal Palace drawing 0-0 at AFC Bournemouth and West Ham beating Southampton 1-0 at St Mary’s.
In other news, Ex Chelsea and Tottenham prodigy earns international call up despite sinking to League Two.
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