Leeds United fans may miss out on their traditional Boxing Day football match this season, as reports suggest that there will be only one Premier League fixture scheduled for December 26. Traditionally, Boxing Day matches have been a popular and iconic event in English football, with fans across the country eagerly anticipating games on this day.
Leeds United supporters have a strong tradition of attending matches on Boxing Day, either at away grounds or at Elland Road. Last year, Leeds fans enjoyed a 2-0 victory over Stoke City on Boxing Day. However, this year, fans may have to watch their team from home, as only one Premier League match is expected to be scheduled for the day after Christmas.
The decision to reduce the number of Boxing Day fixtures is reportedly due to calendar pressures arising from the expansion of European competitions and the exclusive scheduling of the FA Cup on weekends. Initially, the fixtures for the season were released with all weekend games set for Saturday 3pm kick-offs. However, this year’s Boxing Day falls on a Friday, leading to the Premier League treating the post-Christmas period as a regular weekend rather than rescheduling all fixtures for Boxing Day.
The Premier League is obligated to provide 33 weekends of football to broadcasters, including five midweek rounds. To meet this demand, games will be spread out across the full weekend, with only one match likely to be selected for Boxing Day, filling the Friday evening TV slot.
Although some fixtures may take place on Saturday and Sunday, with the majority of games kicking off at 3pm on Saturday, it appears that the tradition of multiple Boxing Day fixtures in the Premier League may not continue this year. Fans were expected to know which fixtures had been selected for TV broadcast by October 15, but as of now, no announcement has been made.
While a match between Sunderland and Leeds United could potentially be selected for a TV slot, nothing is guaranteed at this point. The festive schedule for the Premier League is expected to be confirmed soon, with gameweek 18 including several intriguing fixtures involving top-flight clubs. Meanwhile, the Championship, League One, and League Two are set to have a full round of Boxing Day matches.
