The Premier League will have just one Boxing Day match this season due to scheduling pressures from expanded European competitions.
MANCHESTER: The Premier League has confirmed that this season will feature only one match on Boxing Day, breaking from the traditional full slate of festive fixtures.
Manchester United will host Newcastle United in the lone game, representing the fewest top-flight fixtures on Boxing Day in 43 years.
The League cited mounting scheduling pressures linked to the expansion of European club competitions as the key reason for this change.
A statement explained that challenges in fixture scheduling are rooted in the expansion of European club competitions, which led to a revision of the domestic calendar last season.
The adjustments have left the Premier League operating as a 33-weekend competition, which is fewer than in previous years.
The League’s broadcasting deals require matches to be scheduled on those specific weekends each season.
With only five rounds of midweek games included, matches must be played on December 27-28.
Fixture planning has become increasingly constrained with fewer weekends available for scheduling.
The League is bound by how the calendar falls with fewer weekends to work with for fixture placement.
The League promised a return to a fuller Boxing Day schedule next season when the date falls on a Saturday.
Boxing Day football has been a cornerstone of the English game for decades, offering supporters a festive tradition.
This year’s reduced offering underscores the growing impact of congested calendars as competitions vie for space. – Reuters
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