The Premier League have moved quickly to ease one of the seasonal headaches that haunts supporters every autumn, releasing the full schedule of Christmas and New Year fixtures for the 2026-27 campaign well ahead of the original timetable.
Ordinarily, clubs and fans would have had to wait until the week of Monday, 19 October for the finalised dates and kick-off times covering game weeks 13 to 20 — the stretch running through December and into January. This time, rounds 17 to 20, encompassing every match from Boxing Day through to Thursday, 7 January, have been confirmed right now, more than a month before the previously scheduled release.
Why the change?
The league say the decision follows an agreement with their broadcast partners to bring forward the live-match selection process for those rounds. Critically, the move came after consultation with the Football Supporters' Association and representatives from club Fan Advisory Boards — a sign that supporter pressure on festive scheduling is being taken seriously at the top level.
In a statement, the Premier League said the early announcement "gives supporters more than three months' notice to plan and make travel arrangements for a particularly busy time of the year." For anyone who has scrambled for last-minute train tickets over Christmas, that context needs no further explanation.
It is worth noting that fixtures falling earlier in December, along with those in November, will still be released on their originally planned dates. Only the festive window has been accelerated.
What does the Christmas schedule look like?
Boxing Day brings seven fixtures — a significant increase on last season — with a 12:30 kick-off between Aston Villa and Leeds opening proceedings. Liverpool travel to Hull at 17:30, while the day's showpiece is Newcastle hosting Manchester City under the lights at 20:00.
The action continues on 27 December with three matches, including Crystal Palace against Arsenal in the evening. There are then midweek rounds on 29 and 30 December, with a full card of fixtures across both nights.
New Year's Day sees a solitary match: Leeds host Everton at 20:00. The programme then runs through until Thursday, 7 January, when Manchester United take on Newcastle at 20:00 to close out the festive block.
Key fixtures at a glance
- 26 December: Newcastle v Manchester City (20:00), Hull v Liverpool (17:30), Aston Villa v Leeds (12:30)
- 27 December: Crystal Palace v Arsenal (19:00), Manchester United v Nottingham Forest (16:30)
- 30 December: Aston Villa v Liverpool (20:15), Fulham v Arsenal (19:30)
- 1 January: Leeds v Everton (20:00)
- 3 January: Manchester City v Spurs (16:30), Chelsea v Newcastle (14:00)
- 7 January: Manchester United v Newcastle (20:00)
A genuine step forward for fans
The festive fixture release has long been a source of frustration. Supporters travelling across the country — or further — often find themselves booking accommodation and transport in the dark, only for inconvenient kick-off times to be confirmed weeks later. Bringing this announcement forward by more than a month is a practical concession that the market and fan groups have been pushing for.
Whether the league maintain this approach in future seasons remains to be seen, but the noises out of the Premier League suggest the broadcast agreement that made this possible could become a template. For now, supporters planning their Christmas travel have considerably more certainty than they are used to.
Frequently asked
- Why did the Premier League release Christmas fixtures early this season?
- The Premier League agreed with their broadcast partners to bring forward the live-match selection process for the Boxing Day to 7 January period. The change followed consultation with the Football Supporters' Association and club Fan Advisory Boards, giving fans more than three months' notice to arrange travel over the busy festive period.
- How many games are on Boxing Day in the 2026-27 Premier League season?
- Seven matches are scheduled for Boxing Day, which is significantly more than in the previous season. Kick-offs range from 12:30 through to 20:00, with Newcastle v Manchester City the evening fixture.
- When are the rest of the December Premier League fixtures announced?
- Only the festive rounds covering 26 December to 7 January have been released early. Fixtures falling earlier in December, and those in November, will still be announced on their originally planned dates in mid-October.