Premier League 'give in to Man Utd' as huge fixture announcement being made TODAY

The Premier League will release the Christmas fixture schedule today (Thursday) after pressure from clubs including Manchester United. United were among the clubs who asked the league and broadcasters to bring the announcement forward to give supporters more time to plan and reduce disruption.

That push appears to have worked, with the fixtures due to be released more than a month earlier than they were last season. While all matches are initially listed for 3pm on the Saturday, they remain subject to change once broadcasters select their televised games.

According to the Mail, United officials are understood to have met with the Premier League and broadcasters to stress the importance of prioritising supporters, urging that December's fixture decisions be made well in advance. The aim is to make travel planning easier for fans hoping to attend.

The Football Supporters' Association is also believed to have been involved in the discussions. Last season, the festive fixtures were announced on 15 October and United's home game against Newcastle United was the only one scheduled for an 8pm kick‑off on Boxing Day.

That fixture sparked major backlash from Newcastle fans, who faced a 292‑mile round trip for an 8pm kick‑off, while other matches were spread across 27 and 28 December. At the time, the league also justified their decision by claiming that the expansion of European competition was behind the move for their only being one match on December 26.

A statement read: "The Premier League would like to acknowledge the circumstances that have led to a reduced number of matches on Boxing Day this season, impacting an important tradition in English football.

"There are now several challenges to Premier League fixture scheduling rooted in the expansion of European club competitions - which led to a revision of our domestic calendar ahead of last season, including changes to the FA Cup.

FOLLOW OUR MAN UTD FB PAGE! Latest United news and more on our dedicated Facebook page

"This ultimately left the Premier League as a 33-weekend competition - fewer than previous seasons, despite being a 380-match competition since 1995. With fewer weekends to work with, the League is bound by how the calendar falls. The League can give an assurance that next season there will be more Premier League matches on Boxing Day - as the date falls on a Saturday."

The Football Supporters' Association also had their say about the scheduling for United's clash with Newcastle, writing in a statement: "The Premier League's TV selections for Christmas and New Years have finally been announced a fortnight after they were supposed to be.

"Newcastle United's game at Old Trafford - the longest trip of that Gameweek - has been selected for a ridiculous 8pm kick-off on Boxing Day. Thoughtless."

This season, with Boxing Day falling on a Saturday, several games are expected to be played on that date and there's a chance some fixtures will kick off at 3pm.

Sources have told the Mail that an announcement on the December fixtures is expected to be made on Thursday.

Sky's Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle includes at least 215 live Premier League clashes across the 2026/27 season, with more than 1,500 games from the EFL and beyond, plus F1, golf and darts.