Copyright dailystar
Premier League chiefs have been branded the Grinch that stole Christmas football with only ONE Boxing Day fixture likely this year. Fuming fans took to social media to moan the “game’s gone” after a report claimed the traditional football feast is being axed. The single Boxing Day match is rumoured to be Manchester United ’s clash with Newcastle at Old Trafford - but even that has not yet been officially confirmed. Social media lit up with stunned supporters venting their anger after news broke last night that they will be starved of top team action. Mohan’s Football said on X: “Big change - Boxing Day won’t be the same!” While another added: “Season ticket handed in after reading this. I knew in 1992 that the Premier League would be utterly ruthless. Tradition gone at the drop of a hat.” And a user called Ratty commented: “Boxing Day losing its football frenzy for the first time in ages." “Only one match? Premier League basically said, ‘We love tradition... but money talks louder than Santa.’” The outrage was sparked by a report that the break from tradition is expected because of calendar pressures triggered by UEFA competition expansion and the FA Cup switching exclusively to weekends. Those fixture demands appear to have forced the top flight’s hand but further crunch talks are set to take place. The Premier League is contractually obliged to deliver 33 weekends to broadcasters. But sources said that, while no final decision has been made, a change to the one game plan will get the red card. Boxing Day is set to be treated like any other Friday during the season in that only one match is screened. Games would then take place on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, allowing it to meet the demands of its contract. The Premier League had previously said an announcement for televised matches in December and January was due on October 15 but fans are still waiting. It is an entirely different story in the EFL, where there will be a full calendar of fixtures on Boxing Day across the Championship and Leagues One and Two. Boxing Day games have been played dating back to 1888 and the last time Boxing Day fell on a Friday, in 2014, a full top-flight fixture list took place. Newcastle United fan Fola said on X: “I know we jokingly say ‘game’s gone’ but the game is truly gone man.” There will be a full calendar of fixtures on Boxing Day across the Championship and Leagues One and Two. Last year, the FA announced that the FA Cup would be moving entirely to weekends, with replays scrapped, as part of a six-year agreement between themselves and the Premier League which came on the back of calendar changes 'driven by the expanded UEFA competitions'.
