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Investigates Investigates Money Diaries The Journal TV Climate Crisis Cost of Living Road Safety Newsletters Temperature Check Inside the Newsroom The Journal Investigates Daft.ie Property Allianz Home The 42 Sport TG4 Entertainment The Explainer A deep dive into one big news story Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion Advertisement More Stories In a statement addressing the lack of fixtures, the Premier league said there were "several challenges" to blame.Alamy Stock Photo Just one Premier League match on St Stephen's Day this year Manchester United’s home game against Newcastle is the only top-flight fixture which will take place. 5.43pm, 31 Oct 2025 Share options THE PREMIER LEAGUE says the expansion of European competitions has led to just one match being scheduled on St Stephen’s Day this year. Manchester United’s home game against Newcastle is the only top-flight fixture which will take place, kicking off at 8pm, on what is traditionally a bumper day of matches. “The Premier League would like to acknowledge the circumstances that have led to a reduced number of matches on Boxing Day this season – impacting an important tradition in English football,” the Premier League said in a statement. “There are now several challenges to Premier League fixture scheduling rooted in the expansion of European club competitions – which led to a revision of our domestic calendar ahead of last season, including changes to the FA Cup. “This ultimately left the Premier League as a 33-weekend competition – fewer than previous seasons, despite being a 380-match competition since 1995.” The fact that St Stephen’s Day falls on a Friday has also impacted the fixture list, with the remaining matches spread over the weekend; seven on Saturday and two on Sunday. “With fewer weekends to work with, the League is bound by how the calendar falls,” the statement continued. Advertisement “There are now several challenges to Premier League fixture scheduling rooted in the expansion of European club competitions – which led to a revision of our domestic calendar ahead of last season, including changes to the FA Cup. “This ultimately left the Premier League as a 33-weekend competition – fewer than previous seasons, despite being a 380-match competition since 1995.” The fact that Boxing Day falls on a Friday has also impacted the fixture list, with the remaining matches spread over the weekend; seven on Saturday and two on Sunday. “With fewer weekends to work with, the League is bound by how the calendar falls,” the statement continued. “The League can give an assurance that next season there will be more Premier League matches on Boxing Day – as the date falls on a Saturday. “As with previous years – and in keeping with our commitment to clubs – special arrangements have been made to allow more time between games played across the festive period. “This will allow greater time for players to recover, with the rest periods between rounds 18, 19 and 20 being increased to ensure that no club plays within 60 hours of another match.” Written by Press Association and originally published on The 42, whose award-winning team produces original content that you won’t find anywhere else: on GAA, League of Ireland, women’s sport and boxing, as well as our game-changing rugby coverage, all with an Irish eye. 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