MANCHESTER, England (AP) — It’s traditionally one of the most anticipated days of the English soccer calendar. But this year there is a notable lack of Premier League games on Boxing Day, with only one match scheduled: Manchester United vs. Newcastle.

Instead there will be seven games on Saturday and the round of fixtures will be completed with two more on Sunday.

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The Premier League said in October that the reason for a reduced Boxing Day schedule was because of the growing pressure expanded European club competitions are having on England’s top flight.

A new-look Champions League format was introduced last year. It meant an expansion European club soccer’s top tournament from 32 teams to 36, with more games in a league format played through to January and a playoff phase added in February.

In addition to the second-tier Europa League and third-tier Conference League, the Premier League says it has been presented with “several challenges” to fixture scheduling. It said the reduction in Boxing Day games had impacted an “important tradition in English football.”

Last year there were eight games on Boxing Day.

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With Boxing Day falling on a Friday and the Premier League ensuring time between games to allow sufficient rest for players over the festive period, games have been spread across Dec. 26-28.

“With fewer weekends to work with, the league is bound by how the calendar falls,” the Premier League said.

It has also given assurance more games would be played on Boxing Day in 2026 because it falls on a Saturday.

Festive Premier League schedule

Friday Dec. 26

Manchester United vs. Newcastle United

Saturday Dec. 27

Nottingham Forest vs. Manchester City

Arsenal vs, Brighton

Brentford vs. Bournemouth

Burnley vs. Everton

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Liverpool vs. Wolverhampton

West Ham vs. Fulham

Chelsea vs. Aston Villa

Sunday Dec. 28

Sunderland vs. Leeds

Crystal Palace vs. Tottenham

Tuesday Dec. 30

Burnley vs. Newcastle

Chelsea vs. Bournemouth

Nottingham Forest vs. Everton

West Ham vs. Brighton

Arsenal vs. Aston Villa

Manchester United vs. Wolverhampton

Thursday Jan. 1

Crystal Palace vs. Fulham

Liverpool vs. Leeds

Brentford vs. Tottenham

Sunderland vs. Manchester City

Saturday Jan. 3

Aston Villa vs. Nottingham Forest

Brighton vs. Burnley

Wolverhampton vs. West Ham

Bournemouth vs. Arsenal

Sunday Jan. 4

Leeds vs. Manchester United

Everton vs. Brentford

Fulham vs. Liverpool

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Newcastle vs. Crystal Palace

Tottenham vs. Sunderland

Manchester City vs. Chelsea

Tuesday Jan. 6

West Ham vs. Nottingham Forest

Wednesday Jan. 7

Bournemouth vs. Tottenham

Brentford vs. Sunderland

Crystal Palace vs. Aston Villa

Everton vs. Wolverhampton

Fulham vs. Chelsea

Manchester City vs. Brighton

Burnley vs. Manchester United

Newcastle United vs. Leeds United

Thursday Jan. 8

Arsenal vs. Liverpool

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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer