This decision was made ahead of last season, and it left the Premier League with fewer weekends to work with. The league is now bound by the calendar, which means it can only schedule a certain number of matches per weekend.

UEFA's European competitions now span 10 midweek matchdays, up from six. This has led to concerns over player welfare, with FIFA recommending a minimum 72-hour rest period between matches. In response, the Premier League has made special arrangements to increase the time between games during the festive period, ensuring that no club plays within 60 hours of another match.

The Premier League plans to return to a more traditional Boxing Day schedule next year, when the date falls on a Saturday.