Arsenal face festive fixture crunch after UEFA rejects schedule changes. Arsenal and Crystal Palace have been hit with a vile of timetable clashes. They are now confronting a draining program in late December. This came following the refusal of the UEFA to alleviate a crisis of congestion. This ruling implies that the two clubs will now play two high stakes games in a span of only 48 hours. This also suggests serious issues regarding the welfare of players and integrity of the competitions.
The Congestion Calendar
At the core of the discussion are the scheduled timings of the two specific games. The Gunners’ first destination will be the North West of England. A league match with Everton is scheduled for Sunday, December 21, 2025. Barely two nights after, the team will welcome Crystal Palace for the co-op tournament match at the Emirates Stadium.
đź“° Arsenal's Festive EPL Fixtures
Wed 3 Dec – Brentford (A) | 7:30pm
Sat 6 Dec – Aston Villa (H) | 12:30pm
Sat 13 Dec – Wolves (A) | 8:00pm
Sun 21 Dec – Everton (H) | 2:00pm
Sat 27 Dec – Brighton (A) | 3:00pm
Tue 30 Dec – Aston Villa (A) | 8:15pm
Sat 3 Jan –… pic.twitter.com/upy3MRv9Ag
— Arsenal Team (@_ArsenalTeam) October 31, 2025
A Failed Negotiation
Crystal Palace had sought to move their final European group match and their league game to create more space. However, UEFA rejected these appeals, insisting all final league phase fixtures in European competitions must be played simultaneously to maintain integrity. The Premier League also showed little appetite for further changes, leaving the clubs in a scheduling bind.
Both managers’ frustration is clear. Mikel Arteta of Arsenal has raised his voice and said something to the effect that there was just no logic in having two high-pressure games within two days of each other. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner also backed this assertion calling the dispute irresponsible for player care.
A Symptom of a Wider Problem
To the case of Arsenal, the fixture crunch will immediately represent a serious challenge to the depth of the squad during the hectic holiday season. As the title race intensifies and a cup quarter-final at stake, Mikel Arteta will have to consider his players’ minutes very closely as he understands the physical cost of a schedule many claim to no longer be sustainable.
As featured on GoonerNews.com