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Festive Football Action: Definitive Guide to Boxing Day Football Tickets 2025
Written by Liran Froind | Last updated on November 22, 2025
As soon as the Premier League fixtures drop in mid-June, one of the first things fans check is the festive fixtures, especially the Boxing Day matches on 26 December.
These matches are in high demand, but tickets are just a click away. Boxing Day football tickets are a UK tradition, and part of the schedule in England since the inaugural 1888/89 league season.
There’s a certain magic to football at this time of year, and the day after Christmas Day, usually brings a big helping of football action and a family-friendly atmosphere to stadiums.
However, in 2025/26, due to scheduling issues, only one Premier League match is happening on Boxing Day in 2025: Manchester United vs Newcastle United. Still, Boxing Day falls on a Friday this year and there’s a ton of action to follow on Saturday and Sunday.
In this article we’ll help you get excited for this big clash on the 26th of December, and will point you to all of the other football action taking place on this day and later in the festive calendar on the 27th and 28th.
Premier League Tickets for the Festive Period
Is There Any Football on Boxing Day 2025?
Yes, there is football taking place on Boxing Day 2025.
Manchester United vs Newcastle United at 20:00 is the only Premier League fixture on Friday the 26th of December.
But you’ve got a full day of EFL Championship football on Boxing Day, kicking off from 12:30 to 17:30, as well as a full Premier League schedule over the weekend on the 27th and 28th of December.
So if you’re wondering about Boxing Day Premier League tickets, we’ll begin with the big match:
Boxing Day Football Tickets: Manchester United vs Newcastle United - 20:00
Man United host Newcastle United in a monster clash between two English football powerhouses.
This is a match loaded with international talent, but with a Brazilian flavour in particular: Casemiro, Matheus Cunha, Bruno Guimarães and Joelinton are all vital for their teams.
There’s plenty of pride to play for with these Boxing Day Premier League tickets, because Man Utd have lost five of the six matches between these two teams across all competitions.
In this exact fixture in 2024/25, the Magpies dominated throughout, with towering headers by Isak and Joelinton sealing the win during Amorim’s rocky start at Old Trafford.
Don’t miss out on the only Premier League Boxing Day match: Compare and buy Manchester United vs Newcastle United tickets today!
Now, although not strictly falling on Boxing Day (26th of December) there’s a full schedule of Premier League matches over the weekend of the 27th and 28th of December.
Boxing Day Football Tickets: Premier League Matches on 27 December
Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City Tickets - 12:30
Steadying the ship with Dyche at the helm, Forest take on title-contenders Man City in an enticing lunchtime clash. It’s also a heartwarming time of year to be at the City Ground with community-focussed initiatives like 2024’s Home for Christmas campaign.
West Ham vs Fulham Tickets - 15:00
A derby is on the cards at the London Stadium. Two teams led by Portuguese managers, West Ham and Fulham are trying to find their feet after a tricky start to the season. Aim to get there early as the nearby Westfield Stratford is bound to be packed at the start of the Boxing Day sales.
Liverpool vs Wolves Tickets - 15:00
Two teams with very different ambitions clash at Anfield, with the Reds taking on Wolves. Arne Slot’s men will be setting their sights on the top of the table following an autumn wobble, while Wolves under Rob Edwards are desperate for points in their battle for survival.
Burnley vs Everton Tickets - 15:00
Call this one the Sean Dyche derby, but without the big man. Turf Moor is always pretty in the festive season, especially if you sit at the back of the North Stand with that awesome view over the moorland. On the pitch, the Clarets will fight for every point, while David Moyes’ Blues are desperate to improve on their iffy away record.
Brentford vs Bournemouth Tickets - 15:00
For some London Boxing Day football tickets, you’ve got two teams who continue to defy all predictions face-off at the Gtech Community Stadium. The Bees have doubled down on their direct but exciting football, with Kayote launching dangerous long throws. With Iraola in charge, the Cherries will never stop running.
Arsenal vs Brighton Tickets - 15:00
The Seagulls know how to pick up points at Emirates Stadium, with PL wins in the capital in 2019/20, 2021/22, 2022/23 and a draw here in 2024/25. If Arsenal want to keep up the momentum in their title push, they will need all three points from this mouthwatering clash.
Chelsea vs Aston Villa Tickets - 17:30
In the 2020s this once one-sided clash has become a match that can go either way. Both Chelsea and the Villans expect European places as a minimum. Maresca vs Emery promises a tactical festive football battle loaded with some of the best young players on the planet, from Cole Palmer to Morgan Rogers.
Boxing Day Football Tickets: Premier League Matches on 28 December
Sunderland vs Leeds United Tickets - 14:00
Two promoted teams experiencing different seasons lock horns at the Stadium of Light. Sunderland have been fantastic at home, taking points off Arsenal in November, while Leeds have struggled on the road, with a damaging 2-0 defeat at fellow relegation contender Burnley in October.
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Tickets - 16:30
Another rollicking London derby is in store on Sunday afternoon at Selhurst Park. Glasner’s Eagles won home and away against Spurs in 2024/25, but Thomas Frank’s Tottenham team will be a tougher nut to crack and have a strong away record.
Getting back to Boxing Day proper, there’s a packed schedule of fixtures and plenty of EFL Championship tickets if you’re up for some football on the 26th December. We’ll cover every match next.
Boxing Day Football Tickets: EFL Championship Matches on 26 December
Birmingham vs Derby Tickets - 12:30
Derby head to Birmingham in a fiery Midlands derby—perhaps the highlight in our lineup of Boxing Day football tickets—bringing the return of ex-Blues boss John Eustace grabbing the headlines.
Millwall vs Ipswich Tickets - 13:00
The Tractor Boys are aiming to rebound from Premier League relegation, but Millwall promises a fierce, physical Boxing Day battle at The Den.
Norwich vs Charlton Tickets - 15:00
Newly promoted Addicks hope to build on a promising start in the Championship, while the Canaries need to steady the ship under Philippe Clement after a horrendous spell with Liam Manning in charge.
Oxford vs Southampton Tickets - 15:00
At the Kassam Stadium, the U’s will be hoping for a festive upset against Southampton, who parted ways with Will Still following a dreadful early run.
Portsmouth vs Queens Park Rangers Tickets - 15:00
Fratton Park is the stage for Pompey’s Championship Boxing Day return, as they target QPR’s fragile defence. Expect a hungry Portsmouth side, scrapping to stay up, and a fierce atmosphere.
Sheffield Wednesday vs Hull Tickets - 15:00
Wednesday will be out for revenge for Hull’s 2016 play-off final win. A fired-up Hillsborough, looking to the future following the Chansiri’s departure, will be desperate to claw back some of those docked points.
Stoke vs Preston Tickets - 15:00
Two of the League’s founding clubs meet in a traditional Boxing Day fixture. The Potters host Preston in a thrilling encounter between two promotion hopefuls.
West Bromwich Albion vs Bristol City Tickets - 15:00
Two more promotion contenders clash when last season’s Playoff semifinalists travel to West Brom, a team with Premier League pedigree, trying to find the right formula to get back to the highest level.
Coventry vs Swansea Tickets - 15:00
Things haven’t gone well for the Swans who disposed of manager Alan Sheehan in November. It only gets tougher as they head over to Frank Lampard’s high-flying Coventry, who look in good shape for an automatic promotion push.
Leicester vs Watford Tickets - 15:00
Two recent Premier League clubs meet in a repeat of that dramatic 2013 Playoff encounter. The Foxes and the Hornets were firmly in mid-table going into December, but it’s an open league with playoff spots always on the horizon.
Middlesbrough vs Blackburn Tickets - 15:00
Boro were dealt a hammer blow with Rob Edwards’ departure but have replaced him with exciting young Swedish coach Kim Hellberg to get a promising season back on track. Blackburn need the points following a dismal autumn run.
Wrexham vs Sheffield United Tickets - 17:30
The Championship is proving to be Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney’s toughest test yet, but there have been signs of improvement after a difficult start in the second tier. In this intriguing Boxing Day clash the Reds host a wounded United team facing a relegation scrap.
Boxing Day Football Tickets Guide 2025 | Frequently Asked Questions
What is Boxing Day?
Boxing Day is a public holiday in a host of English-speaking countries, including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, parts of Canada, as well as Hong Kong, as a holdover from UK sovereignty.
Of course, in many other countries, particularly in Europe, the 26th of December is a public holiday because it’s Saint Stephen’s Day, which is traditionally the second day of Christmas.
- The name, Boxing Day comes from the mid-19th century, and refers to the tradition of servants or workers having a day off on the 26 December and being given a Christmas box with cash as an annual tip.
- The first Boxing Day football fixtures took place on a Wednesday in 1888, with league leaders Preston North End winning 5-0 away at West Brom on their way to the title.
- While the day after Christmas being a day off isn’t exactly unique to the UK, the UK is the only country that schedules a full day of football action.
- In the 21st century, Boxing Day has found a global audience thanks to the Premier League, so many people around the world automatically associate the holiday with football.
- For decades there was also football on Christmas Day, but this was phased out, and the last match took place between Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers in 1957.
Why Is There Only One Game on Boxing Day in 2025?
The reason why there’s only one Boxing Day Premier League match in 2025 is down to in the football calendar and the reduced number of weekends in which to schedule matches,
With a whopping nine Premier League teams playing in Europe in 2025/26, impacting the FA Cup schedule in the New Year, the league has far less flexibility when scheduling the 2025 festive fixtures.
Remember that teams are now required to have at least 60 hours rest between matches. So, many teams could simply not be scheduled to play on Boxing Day without breaching that minimum rest period.
In the end, only one Premier League fixture could be nailed down on 26 December this season.
Don’t worry: Boxing Day isn’t going away. The league has confirmed that this is a one-off situation to the season and the fact that Boxing Day falls on a Friday in 2025.
It has already been confirmed that Boxing Day will feature many more matches in 2026.
What Makes Boxing Day Football so Special?
- In 2025, Boxing Day falls on a Friday, and many fans will be off work for another week.
- With children out of school, families will pack into stadiums, often wearing Father Christmas (or Santa Claus) hats in their team’s colours.
- Teams that normally have small crowds can expect their largest attendance of the season on this day if they’re playing at home
- Many Premier League clubs also make the day extra special, putting on themed entertainment, and selling seasonal treats not normally available on concourses, like mince pies.
- As with any long-standing tradition, people will get a warm familiar feeling about Boxing Day, and you should notice it in the stadium’s atmosphere.
- To underline that point, Boxing Day 2020 was especially tough on football fans when stadiums were empty during the Covid pandemic
What football teams are playing on Boxing Day 2025?
In the Premier League, Manchester United are hosting Newcastle at Old Trafford on the 26th of December. The rest of the Premier League matchweek will take place on Saturday the 27th and Sunday the 28th of December.
Will there be Championship football on Boxing Day 2025?
Yes, in fact there’s a full schedule with all 24 teams playing on the 26th of December, 2025.
How are Boxing Day football fixtures chosen?
Scheduling and journey times are two big factors in selecting who plays who on Boxing Day.
If you look a little closer at the fixture list you may notice that none of the teams have very long journeys to make on Boxing Day, or on the 27th or 28th.
This is because Boxing Day and the festive schedule is purposely designed to reduce journey times, on a day when public transport is reduced and can be stretched.
The roads will also have extra traffic because Boxing Day is the start of the January Sales, a major annual shopping event in the UK. So our advice is to plan your transport well in advance if you’re buying Boxing Day football tickets.
Final Thoughts: Boxing Day Football Tickets Guide 2025
So that puts a bow on our Boxing Day football tickets guide. Even if the 26th of December is a little quiet in the Premier League, there’s a feast of football in the Championship on that day.
Meanwhile a full Premier League fixture list takes place on Saturday the 27th and Sunday the 27th.
All of these matches are in huge demand, but Ticket-Compare.com offers availability for all matches, whether they are sold out on the primary market or not.
We compare prices across the most reliable resale companies on the internet, as well as through the clubs’ official ticketing partners, for an extra layer of peace of mind. All Boxing Day football tickets on our site come with a 100% guarantee from the seller.
In real time we have 1,259 Premier League tickets on sale, starting from only $15 for the cheapest seats. One match in high demand is Manchester City vs Leeds United at $53 so act fast to get your seat!
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