This yr’s Boxing Day will see only one Premier League match happen — a uncommon break from one in all English soccer’s most beloved traditions.
The one top-flight sport scheduled for Friday, 26 December, shall be Manchester United’s house conflict with Newcastle United at 20:00 GMT.
Based on the Premier League, the discount in fixtures is as a result of enlargement of European membership competitions, which has created main scheduling challenges for home soccer.
In a press release, the league mentioned: “The Premier League want to acknowledge the circumstances which have led to a lowered variety of matches on Boxing Day this season — impacting an essential custom in English soccer. There at the moment are a number of challenges to fixture scheduling rooted within the enlargement of European competitions.”
The adjustments, which got here into impact final season, additionally affected the FA Cup calendar. The Premier League defined that the home schedule was lowered to a 33-weekend competitors, though it nonetheless consists of 380 matches, because it has since 1995.
“With fewer weekends to work with, the league is certain by how the calendar falls,” the assertion added.
Whereas followers could also be disillusioned by the lowered Boxing Day motion, extra matches will comply with within the days after. Seven video games will happen on Saturday, 27 December, with two extra on Sunday, 28 December — Sunderland v Leeds United and Crystal Palace v Tottenham Hotspur. Matchweek 19 will then proceed on Tuesday, 30 December, with six fixtures.
The Premier League assured supporters that the standard full Boxing Day schedule will return subsequent season when the date falls on a Saturday.
The league additionally mentioned that golf equipment can have longer relaxation durations between festive fixtures this yr. “Particular preparations have been made to permit extra time between video games performed throughout the festive interval,” it mentioned. “This ensures no membership performs inside 60 hours of one other match.”
The replace follows a July settlement between participant representatives and FIFA to ensure a minimal relaxation interval of 72 hours between matches, in a transfer aimed toward defending gamers’ health and wellbeing.
