There’s something extra magical about football (or soccer as we call it) around Christmas time! What started out as a Victorian tradition has transformed into a season of Premier League glory. Every December means the beginning of the Premier League Festive Fixtures, an annual event filled with history, tradition, and back-to-back soccer matches. With Boxing Day battles, fixtures to ring in the New Year and holiday crowds making the stadiums feel more festive than ever, there’s a reason why the Festive Fixtures have become a beloved part of the holiday season for fans around the world. Let’s break down what makes the Premier League Festive Fixtures so special for soccer fans!

The History of Festive Soccer Traditions

The tradition of combining Christmas with football (or soccer as we call it) goes all the way back to the 19th century Victorian era. When Boxing Day became a public holiday in 1871, the working class finally had two full days off, which was unheard of at a time when working long hours in poor living conditions was the norm. Instead of spending their days inside, people started to form big gatherings in the streets and watching soccer matches became a public event. After the Football League was created in 1888, everyone started to realize that the holiday break was the perfect time to schedule as many soccer matches as possible. 

For decades, matches held on Boxing Day and Christmas Day became fixtures that everyone was expected to attend every year. But in the 1950s when traditions started to be about spending more time with family indoors, Christmas Day fixtures became a thing of the past. The final match was played in 1965 between Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers where Blackburn won 4-2. Despite the tradition of Christmas Day soccer dying out, Boxing Day fixtures stayed popular and are still celebrated as one of the most iconic Premier League matches in a season!

Present Day Festive Fixtures

Just like how everything else has evolved since the 19th century, the Premier League festive calendar has also changed to keep up with the modern times! A few years ago, matches this time of year were played every single day after Christmas. Although having back-to-back matches sounds amazing for fans, the team managers and players found the workload unsustainable. That’s why at the start of 2020, the Premier League introduced a mid-season break. Now the schedule avoids 60-hour turnarounds and doesn’t hold matches on December 28th and 31st, or January 2nd and 3rd. 

Even with these changes, the festive schedule is still one of the busiest times of the year! Despite how chaotic this tradition may be, England continues to show its passion for the sport during the holiday season, despite other major leagues in Europe taking Christmas off altogether!

Unforgettable Moments

If you ask any supporter of the Premier League which match in the Festive Fixtures they look forward to the most every year, odds are it’s the Boxing Day matches! Boxing Day is famously known for having some of the most memorable moments in the history of English football. Arguably the most famous took place at a Boxing Day match in 1963, when a whopping 66 goals were scored across 10 games in a single day! 

The iconic Sir Alex Ferguson has also made major moves during Boxing Day matches, appearing in nearly every highlight from his very first match where he made an incredible comeback, to his last match which included a 90th minute winning goal. Also considered a favourite among fans is Chelsea’s famous battle with Aston Villa in 2007 (if you know, you know). Along with so many other iconic moments that only festive soccer matches could deliver!

This Year’s Festive Fixtures: What’s Coming Up

If you follow along with the festive schedule every year, you may have noticed some big changes in 2025! Instead of a full day of matches during Boxing Day, there’s only one match being held between Manchester United vs. Newcastle United at Old Trafford stadium. The remaining matches will take place over the 27th and 28th of December, leading up to full days of fixtures on December 30th. Then the Premier League will be jumping straight into 2026 with a full round of fixtures on New Year’s Day, kicking off the next chapter of an exciting new season without any breaks in between. Overall, the schedule is packed with 40 matches in only 15 days, and for some clubs the stakes have never been higher in a festive season! Keep scrolling for the full 2025-26 schedule. 

Despite the Premier League Festive Fixtures being the busiest time of the soccer season, there’s a reason why it’s one of the most celebrated traditions among fans every year and we can’t wait to see what the upcoming matches have in store! Can’t get enough of the Premier League or still hunting for the perfect gift for a soccer fan in your life? Check out our wide selection of Premier League trading cards, stickers, and much more at SoccerCards.ca. Don’t wait to place your orders, our Holiday Delivery Cut-Off ends December 19th!

The 2025-26 Premier League Festive Fixtures Schedule