For a lot of football fans, Boxing Day means one thing: Premier League football.
The day has been marked on the competition's calendar for so many years now it's become a firm tradition.
Other leagues around Europe take a break over Christmas and New Year, but the UK piles on the fixtures. U.S. Fans can equate the day to how the NFL is synonymous with Thanksgiving, or (to a lesser extent) how Christmas Day is for the NBA. This year, of course, sees the NFL return to screens on December 25.
Premier League games rack up ratings as fans plan to be home planted on the couch, feasting on Christmas Day leftovers and enjoying Premier League action.
So what is Boxing Day and how did it come to such prominence? Here's a brief run-through of its history and tradition in the UK.
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What day is Boxing Day?
Boxing Day falls on December 26 every year.
Always the day after Christmas Day, it's a vital 24 hours for many after the chaos of Christmas.
Why is it called Boxing Day? Explaining meaning
Boxing Day is an annual holiday in the UK that falls on December 26, or the day after Christmas.
It is a "bank holiday" — essentially what Americans refer to as a federal holiday — meaning most businesses are closed and most employees have the day off, or can at least claim an extra day of annual leave at a later date.
"Boxing Day" has been traced back to Charles Dickens, who coined the term in 1833. Boxing Day has been an established holiday since 1871, although references to a day of gift-giving on this date go back even further.
It is named after the tradition of employers handing out boxes of Christmas gifts to employees, especially to servants and other household employees who were required to work on Christmas.
Today, while the original intent of the holiday has all but disappeared (most holiday charity events now take place in the run-up to Christmas instead), the day has become known for two things: sports and shopping.
Who has the best record on Boxing Day?
In the first year of the Football League in 1888, Derby County played Bolton Wanderers and West Brom hosted Preston North End on Boxing Day. Since, there have been over 4,000 matches in the English Football League played on Boxing Day.
West Brom has played the most Boxing Day matches in league history, with 107 games played to a 46W-39L-22D record. Manchester United has gained the most points on Boxing Day, with 174 points gathered on a 52W-27L-18D record across 97 Boxing Day matches.
Harry Kane holds the record for the most goals scored on Boxing Day with 10, while the highest-scoring Boxing Day fixture in Premier League history was Manchester City's 6-3 win over Leicester City in 2021.
The highest-scoring Boxing Day in English top-flight history happened in 1963, when an outlandish 66 goals were scored across 10 matches, marked by a bonkers 10-1 win for Fulham over Ipswich Town and an 8-2 drubbing by Blackburn Rovers over West Ham.
Premier League Boxing Day schedule in 2025
There is only one Boxing Day match scheduled for the 2025 festive season, which is unusually low for the Premier League.
It has caused somewhat of a stir in England, as many fans are disappointed at the lack of top flight football on a day normally associated with a lengthy football slate. However, the Premier League has stated that due to the expansion of other competitions around Europe, such as the Premier League, domestic football had to prioritise rest for players, thus needing to spread games out more across the holiday season.
The only match on Boxing Day 2025 is a meeting between Manchester United and Newcastle at Old Trafford, with kickoff at 8 p.m. Local time (3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT).
However, there is a full slate of Championship matches in England on December 25, with 12 games to enjoy throughout the English second tier, including Wrexham at home in a primetime slot.
Premier League matches on Boxing Day 2025
| Match | Time (GMT) | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Man United vs. Newcastle | 8 p.m. | 3 p.m. |
Championship matches on Boxing Day 2025
| Match | Time (GMT) | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham vs. Derby County | 12:30 p.m. | 7:30 a.m. |
| Millwall vs. Ipswich Town | 1 p.m. | 8 a.m. |
| Coventry City vs. Swansea City | 3 p.m. | 10 a.m. |
| Leicester City vs. Watford | 3 p.m. | 10 a.m. |
| Middlesbrough vs. Blackburn | 3 p.m. | 10 a.m. |
| Norwich City vs. Charlton | 3 p.m. | 10 a.m. |
| Oxford United vs. Southampton | 3 p.m. | 10 a.m. |
| Portsmouth vs. QPR | 3 p.m. | 10 a.m. |
| Sheffield Wednesday vs. Hull City | 3 p.m. | 10 a.m. |
| Stoke City vs. Preston North End | 3 p.m. | 10 a.m. |
| West Brom vs. Bristol CIty | 3 p.m. | 10 a.m. |
| Wrexham vs. Sheffield United | 5:30 p.m. | 12:30 p.m. |