Premier League fixtures: Boxing Day matches are back

Premier League football will be played on Boxing Day again this year after last season’s fixture scheduling caused outrage among supporters.

One of English football’s greatest traditions was disrupted in the 2025/26 campaign because of a combination of European fixtures and the way the calendar fell.

In the coming season, Boxing Day falls on a Saturday – which means a return to the usual Christmas schedule for top-flight football.

Perhaps the pick of the fixtures on December 26 will be Newcastle United’s home match against Manchester City. Arsenal’s London derby at Crystal Palace will also take place on Boxing Day, as will a meeting between Frank Lampard’s Coventry City and his former club Chelsea.

Meanwhile, Arsenal’s title defence will begin with a Friday night match at home to newly promoted Coventry on August 21.

That same weekend, on Sunday, Andoni Iraola will take charge of his first league match with Liverpool when his team travel to Newcastle United. That could be an interesting occasion for new winger Victor Muñoz, who has this week signed for Liverpool after snubbing Newcastle at the last moment.

On the Monday, Xabi Alonso, the new Chelsea manager, will begin his Premier League coaching career with a London derby against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Manchester City’s difficult winter

Manchester City’s first season after the Pep Guardiola era will include a treacherous run of fixtures during the crucial Christmas and New Year period.

Between Boxing Day and January 2, City will play away matches against Newcastle and Everton and also host Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs face tricky run-in

The fixture list has presented Spurs with a seemingly extremely challenging final few weeks of the campaign.

In their five fixtures in May, Roberto De Zerbi’s side will face Arsenal away in a late-season north London derby, Chelsea at home, Coventry away, Manchester United at home and Aston Villa away.

Arsenal’s tough start

An opening home match against newly promoted Coventry could represent a gentle start to Arsenal’s title defence but the first few weeks of the campaign will not be straightforward for Mikel Arteta’s team as they negotiate some difficult away trips. After Coventry, the champions face Aston Villa (a), Chelsea (h), Sunderland (a) and Brighton (a).

Liverpool’s autumn challenge

The first defining period of Iraola’s debut campaign at Anfield could come in October/November. In the space of four games, Liverpool will play Arsenal (h), Crystal Palace (a), Manchester United (h) and Everton (a).

United meet the ‘minnows’

Manchester United’s opening two fixtures are both against promoted teams. Their season begins with an away match at Hull City, before then playing a home game against Ipswich Town.

It soon becomes much more tricky for Michael Carrick: in the fourth round of fixtures, United host City in the Manchester derby.

*Below dates and kick-off times subject to change.

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Full fixtures

Key matches and rivalries

Arsenal’s key fixtures

Arsenal’s title defence begins at home to Coventry and will be given a stern challenge in the first few weeks of the season, travelling to Villa Park, a notoriously tough destination, followed by London rivals Chelsea. The calendar does get kinder, with Arsenal not leaving the capital from the end of November until mid-January – the perfect opportunity to get into a title-winning groove.

The run-in is also kind to Arteta’s men. In Arsenal’s last five matches, they do not play a team who finished in the top seven of the Premier League last season, ending their campaign with a home match against Brighton. If they can navigate a tricky start, Arteta and his players will be confident of consecutive titles come April.

First three games

Aug 21, 8pm Arsenal v Coventry City
Aug 29, 3pm Aston Villa v Arsenal
Sept 5, 3pm Arsenal v Chelsea

Last three games

May 23, 3pm Everton v Arsenal

Potential Boxing Day fixture

Derbies and rivalries

Sept 5, 3pm Arsenal v Chelsea
Oct 31, 3pm Liverpool v Arsenal
Nov 28, 3pm Arsenal v Manchester City
Dec 5, 3pm Tottenham Hotspur v Arsenal
Dec 19, 3pm Arsenal v Manchester United
Jan 30, 3pm Manchester City v Arsenal
Feb 6, 3pm Arsenal v Liverpool
Feb 27, 3pm Manchester United v Arsenal
March 13, 3pm Chelsea v Arsenal
May 1, 3pm Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur

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Premier League fixtures: Boxing Day matches are back

Manchester City’s difficult winter

Spurs face tricky run-in

Arsenal’s tough start

Liverpool’s autumn challenge

United meet the ‘minnows’

Arsenal’s key fixtures

Aston Villa’s key fixtures

Bournemouth’s key fixtures

Brentford’s key fixtures

Brighton’s key fixtures

Chelsea’s key fixtures

Coventry’s key fixtures

Crystal Palace’s key fixtures

Everton’s key fixtures

Fulham’s key fixtures

Hull City’s key fixtures

Ipswich Town’s key fixtures

Leeds United’s key fixtures

Liverpool’s key fixtures

Manchester City’s key fixtures

Manchester United’s key fixtures

Newcastle United’s key fixtures

Nottingham Forest’s key fixtures

Sunderland’s key fixtures

Tottenham Hotspur’s key fixtures

Full Premier League fixture list 2026/27

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