Gear up for one of the most iconic days in the sporting calendar with our Boxing Day football tips. While football in many other countries, such as Spain, come to a pause in late December with a midseason break, the games in England come thick and fast, providing exciting action and a whole host of betting opportunities. So, read on to discover more about this midwinter tradition and the Christmas crackers in store for you this Boxing Day.
Boxing Day Football Betting Tips
There is a festive football feast this Boxing Day, and we have been studying the form to bring you some Christmas cheer. We have several football betting tips from the Premier League and the EFL. As proper football specialists, we have used data from Kickform to back up our seasonal St Stephen’s Day selections. So, sit back and check out our Boxing Day football predictions. What’s more, if you’re looking for Boxing Day football acca tips, you could put our top pick from the Premier League and the three divisions of the EFL into a nice little four-fold.
Premier League Boxing Day Football Tips
This year’s Premier League fixtures show a real break in tradition. There will be only one match on Boxing Day, Manchester United vs Newcastle United, with the rest of the festive football in the topflight playing out over Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th December.
The match at Old Trafford gets underway at 20:00 and promises to be an entertaining game for fans and bettors alike. Check out our Premier League betting tips for Boxing Day.
Manchester United vs Newcastle United: Goals at both ends likely
Our Kickform Stats show that, at the time of writing, both Uniteds sit near the top of the table when it comes to both teams scoring, even though, to date, they have lacked consistency in the league. Both clubs will need to improve on this to push towards the European places. Both teams have scored in 71% of Man United’s games and in 64% of Newcastle’s. Kickform have the most likely score as a 1-1 draw.
EFL Championship Boxing Day Football Tips
The Championship boasts a full program of fixtures on the 26th and there are a few standout matches. Promotion hopefuls Stoke City and Preston North End clash. Both teams boast two of the meanest defences in the league, so expect a Scrooge-like performance from both sides. It could be the wrong game to pick if you want to see the goals fly in, but it could be a great one to go for if you want to bet on under 2.5 goals. Another clash of promotion rivals is Ipswich Town’s trip to Millwall, while Coventry City, the current leaders, take on Swansea City. The Sky Blues have been scoring goals for fun, so you might want to bet on over 2.5 goals in this one.
Oxford United vs Southampton: Bet on a Yuletide Goal-Fest
If you’re looking to bet on over 2.5 goals or on BTTS, then this is your festive pick. At the time of writing, 61% of Oxford’s games and 78% of Southampton’s matches have seen both teams find the net. 56% of Oxford’s matches and 67% of Southampton’s fixtures have seen at least three goals. In addition, Oxford have struggled to pick up points at home and with the Saints starting to find their form, you may find value in backing an away win.
EFL League One Boxing Day Football Tips
All 24 teams take the field at 3pm on Boxing Day in League One. It looks set to be an absolute cracker of a day, headlined by high-flying Stockport against Lincoln City. Both teams are pushing hard for an automatic promotion spot as they chase down Cardiff City, who play at home against Exeter City. Bottom of the table Port Vale have another must-win game at Huddersfield if they are going to maintain their spot in the league, while at the other end of the table, Bradford host Wigan Athletic.
Huddersfield Town vs Port Vale: Huddersfield to win
Huddersfield have lost just twice at home all season and face a Port Vale team void of form or confidence. The Terriers are right on the cusp of the play-off spots and are good value to get all three points on Boxing Day. Anything other than a home win here would be quite the shock.
EFL League Two Boxing Day Football Tips
League Two has been a minefield this season. Just 14 points separate the relegation zone and the play-off spots, and no team has lost fewer than five games all season. It’s one of the toughest leagues in Europe to pick from right now, given how competitive it is, but there’s value there if you know where to look. A full fixture list awaits on Boxing Day, with the game of the day coming from Notts County’s trip to Chesterfield.
MK Dons vs Swindon Town: Over 2.5 Goals
MK Dons are averaging almost two goals per game this season and are the league's top scorers by some margin. They’ve covered the over 2.5 goals line in 67% of their home games, while Swindon have covered in 78% of their away games. We’re banking on that trend to continue as part of our Boxing Day football predictions.
Boxing Day Football Fixtures
Our Boxing Day football tips are live, now it’s time to see the fixtures in all their glory. We’ve got every game from the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two below, along with the latest odds to pick those Christmas winners.
Premier League Boxing Day Fixtures
EFL Championship Boxing Day Fixtures
EFL League One Boxing Day Fixtures
EFL League Two Boxing Day Fixtures
Best Bookmakers for Boxing Day Betting
Payment methods(11):
Bet £10 & Get £30 18+. Registration Required. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of qualifying bets. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Funded account or place a bet to qualify. Geo location and live streaming rules apply. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Mobile Exclusive: Bet £10 Get £40 18+. Play Safe. Online only. For new UK register customers using promo code G40. Deposit & place £10 cash single bet (min odds 1/2) on sportsbook (excl. Virtuals). Get £40 in Free Bets (4x£10), valid for sportsbook (excl. Virtuals), 7 days expiry, must use in full (£10 each). Not valid with deposits via PayPal, Neosurf, Paysafe, Apple Pay, NETELLER, Skrill, ecoPayz, Kalibra/Postpay or WH PLUS Card. One per customer. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Payment methods(5):
Bet £10 & Get £30 in Free Bets 18+ New customers only. Opt in, deposit & bet £10 (odds 2.00+) within 7 days of registration. Get £30 in Free Bets for selected markets, 7 days expiry. Full T&Cs apply. Please gamble responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Payment methods(4):
Bet £10 Get £20 18+, New customers only. Opt in, deposit & bet £10 on any sports (odds 2.00+) in 7 days. No cash out. Get 4x£5 sports free bets for set markets (odds 2.00+), which expire in 7 days. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Payment methods(7):
Bet £10 Get £50 in Free Bets 18+ New customers only. Register, deposit with Debit Card, and place first bet £10+ at Evens (2.0)+ on Sports within 7 days to get 3 x £10 in Sports Free Bets & 2 x £10 in Acca Free Bets within 10 hours of settlement. 7-day expiry. Eligibility & payment exclusions apply. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Payment methods(8):
Bet £5 Get £30 in Free Bets 18+ New UK + ROI customers only. Certain deposit methods & bet types excl. Min first £/€5 bet within 14 days of account reg at min odds 1/2 to get 6 x £/€5 free bets (selected sportsbook markets only, valid 7 days, stakes not returned). Restrictions + Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Payment methods(10):
Bet £20, Get £40 in Free Bets 18+ New UK customers. Min £20 first deposit. Place a bet of £20 at min odds of 2/1 (3.0) and get £40 in Free Bets within 48 hours. Restrictions apply. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Payment methods(6):
Bet £10, Get up to £60 in Free Bets 18+ New customers only. Place a £10 fixed odds single or £10 each-way bet at minimum odds of 1/2 and get 3 x £10 free fixed odds bets, 3 x £5 Total Goals football spread bets and 3 x £5 Winning Favourites spread bets and a £1 racing Race Index spread bet. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Payment methods(10):
100% up to £50 Welcome Bonus 18+ New players. Choose bonus at signup. Wager bonus 10x. Any withdrawals void bonus. Valid 30 days. Deposit used 1st. Odds, bet & payment limits. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Payment methods(6):
Bet £10 Get £40 in Free Bets 18+ New UK customers. Place a £10 real money bet at min. 2.0 odds within 5 days of first deposit. Receive 4 x £10 Free Bets: 1 Single, 2 Accas (min. 3 selections), 1 Bet Builder (min. 3 selections). Excludes cashout, E/W, Multis & Virtuals. Credited after bet settlement. 7-day expiry. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
How to Bet on Boxing Day Football
What’s the perfect accompaniment to our Boxing Day football predictions? A guide on how to place a bet, of course. We’ve used our top-rated online betting site, bet365, to show you exactly how it works in just a couple of steps.
Create an account: If you haven't yet got an account, what are you waiting for? You can sign up by clicking the “join” button on the website or in the app. Enter your details and then make a deposit. The process takes just a couple of minutes, and you’re ready to go.
Navigate to your game: Use the nav bar to find the game you want to bet on. You can search using the bar at the top or just browse through the dozens of games from the football betting section.
Add to bet slip: To place a bet, just click the odds. This will move the bet into your bet slip, where you can then add your stake. If you’re making multiple picks, find the game and the odds you want, and stack them in your slip.
Place your bet: Once you’re happy, double-check your bet slip to make sure you’ve got the right bets in there. Enter your stake into the box, confirm the bet and away you go. You can track live bets from your “My Bets” section, and this will give you any available cash-out prices as well.
Boxing Day Football Betting Trends
Boxing Day generally yields more goals. The Premier League is a great example of this. Throughout the season, the average sits around 2.6 per game, but over the last three seasons, we’ve seen the needle jump from 3.6 to 4.7 per game.
We also noticed that the over 2.5 goals market covers a lot more often as well. In fact, this figure shoots to almost 85% of games from 2022 onwards. Both teams to score has also seen a significant jump, up from a season average of 56% to a whopping 65%.
Why Is There Only One Premier League Fixture for Boxing Day?
The Premier League generally has a full range of fixtures for Boxing Day, but for 2025/26, it’s all changed, with just a single game – Manchester United vs Newcastle United.
It’s basically come down to fixture congestion and the fact that Boxing Day 2025 lands on a Friday. The expansion of European competitions (Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League) has left less room on the calendar. The FA Cup kicks off the following weekend, and it wouldn’t be feasible to add in another round of mid-week ties. It’s a shame, given the tradition, but it’s hopefully just a one-off and normal service will resume next season.
History of Boxing Day Football in the UK
Boxing Day was once a rare day off for workers, dating back to Victorian times. Football has been a big part of it, and for a while, games were played on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The former ended in 1957, but the Boxing Day tradition continued and remains a mainstay of top-flight football.
You’ll no doubt hear at some point this year about the famous 1963 season that saw a whopping 66 goals in just 10 games, including Fulham beating Ipswich 10-1. Interestingly, those trends of high-scoring games continue today, and it’s one of the reasons why the games are so popular.
Most Iconic Moments in Boxing Day Football
Boxing Day is one of the most dramatic, chaotic days of the footballing calendar. This year aside, it’s one of the few times when almost all the top teams in England play on the same day, often with multiple games being broadcasted live. But some games are more iconic than others, and we’ve a handful of standouts for you below.
Blackburn 4-3 Manchester United (1994)
Blackburn beating Manchester United at Ewood Park is one of the most well-known Boxing Day games. A seven-goal thriller was headlined by Alan Shearer, who grabbed a brace in a game that was constant end-to-end action.
Chelsea 4-4 Aston Villa (2007)
Eight goals. Three red cards. And an injury-time finish to grab a point. All this, and the leftover turkey still hadn’t been served from the day before. Few Premier League games held a candle to this classic at Stamford Bridge almost 20 years on and it proved to be vital in the run in, with Chelsea losing the league by just two points to Manchester United that season.
Neil Warnock Sacked by Crystal Palace
It’s not generally a time of year that managers face the sack, but Neil Warnock was on the receiving end of the Christmas grinch in 2014. A defeat at home to Southampton was the final straw for his second stint at Palace after a terrible start to the season, and he was relieved of his duties on the 27th December.
ThePuntersPage Final Say
Boxing Day is pure football heritage. Whether you’re heading to the ground full of festive cheer or watching in the pub with your mates, it’s the best day of the year for betting on the footie. We’ve got all the latest Boxing Day football tips live for the 2025-26 season, and while there’s only one Premier League game to choose from, there’s a full EFL fixture list packed with value.
Boxing Day Football Betting FAQs
Boxing Day football is a term for football matches played on the day after Christmas Day. Historically, they have included a full (or partially full) Premier League set of games, but for 2025-26, there is only one to choose from.
bet365 and William Hill are two of the best betting sites for Boxing Day football. They both have amazing odds, along with features like early payout, boosted odds and acca boosts.
The three most popular markets are the 1×2, over 2.5 goals and BTTS. However, there are dozens to choose from, including bet builders if you’re looking for slightly longer odds with custom bets.
ThePuntersPage have all the latest Boxing Day football accumulator tips. We have predicted the score of every game on Boxing Day, so you can add as many as you like for a quality acca bet.
You need a betting account and to have deposited into said account. You then click the odds to add to the bet slip, confirm your picks and place your bet.
Yes, most bookies will have betting promotions. If you’re creating a new account, you can claim welcome offers where you bet and get, or for existing accounts, most bookies will have boosted odds and enhanced accas running all through Boxing Day.
Yes, in-play betting is open for Boxing Day fixtures.