The Premier League is a global brand. Not every place where they have a TV deal celebrates Christmas – and hardly any of those countries play matches on Boxing Day, so 27 December seems an easier fit.
The base kick-off time for that match week is 15:00 GMT on Saturday, 27 December.
Games can be moved – but not all of them. In theory, all four of the televised kick-off slots used on Boxing Day last season, including the 20:00 GMT one, could be used.
Matches could also be shown on the Saturday, or Sunday, 28 December. This is all still to be decided.
Package E of the new TV deal that comes into force in August includes reference to a rather ambiguous “six additional matches” without saying what that means.
But there is no mention anywhere in the deal about a weekend when all 10 games will be screened.
So, while any game moved to Boxing Day will have been done specifically for TV purposes, not all those that remain on 27 December seem likely to be shown live.
For those who devour Boxing Day football from morning until night, there is some good news.
The EFL will have a full programme across their three divisions – and all their games are streamed.
And, in 2026-27, Boxing Day falls on a Saturday – and given it’s already a weekend, the chances of a return to a full match programme on that day is high.
