Premier League breaks beloved tradition, first time in 67 years
'Boxing Day' is going to be history this season in the Premier League, the most watched league in the world. The British press announced that only one match will be played on Boxing Day this year.
The tradition celebrated in the English Premier League on the day after Christmas (December 26) since 1958, 67 years ago, is becoming history. On that day in the United Kingdom, all businesses close and people spend time with their families and take a vacation. People give gifts to each other and the boxes are opened. In the Premier League, gift matches are also played.
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ONE MATCH WILL BE PLAYED
Only one Premier League game is expected on the day after Christmas this year. In a break with tradition, the change is due to fixture congestion caused by the expansion of UEFA competitions and the move of the FA Cup to weekends. The league still needs to submit 33 weekend fixtures to broadcasters.
OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT AWAITED
Although not yet confirmed, there is likely to be a single televised game the day after Christmas, with the rest being played on Saturday, Sunday and Monday to meet scheduling obligations.
In 2024, eight out of ten Premier League matches were played on December 26.
