Supporters planning their festive travel will be pleased to hear that the Premier League has agreed to release the Christmas and New Year fixtures now, giving fans more than three months’ notice. The Aston Villa Fan Advisory Board (FAB) welcomes the announcement, and we want to congratulate the Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) on the work that helped to make it happen.
How this came about
A few months ago, the FSA and its Broadcasting Working Group met with Sky Sports and the Premier League to discuss broadcasting and scheduling. The FSA also submitted a proposal calling for fixtures to be announced earlier once the European calendar had been confirmed.
The Premier League has now confirmed the amended fixtures for the festive period. In its statement, the league said the announcement gives supporters more than three months’ notice to plan and make travel arrangements for a particularly busy time of year, and that it follows consultation with the FSA and representatives from club Fan Advisory Boards. There are seven Premier League matches on Boxing Day this season.
You can read the FSA’s full update here: Premier League Christmas and New Year TV fixtures released.
Why it matters
For anyone who follows Villa home and away, late fixture changes can mean expensive train fares, hard-to-find accommodation and disrupted family plans, and this is felt most keenly over the Christmas period. Knowing well in advance when and where we are playing makes a real difference to matchgoers, particularly older supporters, disabled supporters, families with young children and those who travel long distances.
As the FSA puts it, this is a big win for fans and a precedent that can be built on for bigger and better things in future.
What about November and December?
It is slightly frustrating that the rest of the calendar has not been released at the same time, and we will keep making the case for earlier notice across the whole season. The Premier League has, however, confirmed when the remaining broadcast selections will be announced:
- November match rounds: by the week commencing 21 September 2026
- December match rounds: by the week commencing 19 October 2026
We will continue to raise fixture notice and scheduling with the club, and to support the FSA’s work with the league and broadcasters on behalf of supporters.
Supporters who want to stay informed about this and other FAB activity are encouraged to join the FAB mailing list, where we share updates, meeting summaries and opportunities for fan input.
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