It is the season of good cheer and there will be plenty of cheering for sports fans this Christmas and New Year. In a packed programme of sporting events to watch on TV, as ever, football provides the centrepiece of the festive offering with English Premier League, EFL Championship and Scottish Premiership action to enjoy.
If football is the main course of the Christmas TV menu, then there are plenty of delicious side dishes in the form of Australia vs. England Ashes Test cricket, rugby union, American football and that other Christmas staple, darts. All times below are GMT.
1. Football
Boxing Day: Sunday 26 December
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English Premier League
- 5.30pm: Aston Villa vs. Chelsea (Sky Sports)
- 8pm: Brighton vs. Brentford (Sky Sports)
Scottish Premiership
- 12.30pm: St. Johnstone vs. Celtic (Sky Sports)
National League
- 5.20pm: Bromley vs. Southend United (BT Sport)
Monday 27 December
English Premier League
- 8pm: Newcastle vs. Man Utd (Sky Sports)
EFL Sky Bet Championship
- 3pm: Derby County vs. West Bromwich Albion (Sky Sports)
- 5.30pm: Queens Park Rangers vs. Bournemouth (Sky Sports)
EFL Sky Bet League One
- 12.30pm: Doncaster Rovers vs. Sunderland (Sky Sports)
Tuesday 28 December
English Premier League
- 12.30pm: Arsenal vs. Wolves (Amazon Prime)
- 3pm: Southampton vs. Tottenham (Amazon Prime)
- 3pm: Crystal Palace vs. Norwich (Amazon Prime)
- 3pm: Watford vs. West Ham (Amazon Prime)
- 5.30pm: Leeds vs. Aston Villa (Amazon Prime)
- 8pm: Leicester vs Liverpool (Amazon Prime)
Wednesday 29 December
English Premier League
- 7.30pm: Chelsea vs. Brighton (Amazon Prime)
- 8.15pm: Brentford vs. Man City (Amazon Prime)
Scottish Premiership
- 7.45pm: Aberdeen vs. Rangers (Sky Sports)
Thursday 30 December
English Premier League
- 7.30pm: Everton vs. Newcastle (Amazon Prime)
- 8.15pm: Man Utd vs. Burnley (Amazon Prime)
EFL Sky Bet Championship
- 7.45pm: Nottingham Forest vs. Huddersfield Town (Sky Sports)
Saturday 1 January
English Premier League
- 12.30pm: Arsenal vs. Man City (BT Sport)
- 5.30pm: Crystal Palace vs. West Ham (Sky Sports)
EFL Sky Bet Championship
- 12.30pm: Sheffield United vs. Middlesbrough
Sunday 2 January
English Premier League
- 2pm: Brentford vs. Aston Villa (Sky Sports)
- 4.30pm: Chelsea vs Liverpool (Sky Sports)
Scottish Premiership
- 12pm: Celtic vs. Rangers (Sky Sports)
Monday 3 January
English Premier League
- 5.30pm: Man Utd vs. Wolves (Sky Sports)
EFL Sky Bet Championship
- 3pm: Swansea City vs. Fulham (Sky Sports)
Scottish Premiership
- 12.30pm: Hibernian vs. Hearts (Sky Sports)
2. Cricket: international Test matches
The Ashes 3rd Test: Australia vs. England
- When: 25-29 December
- Where: MCG, Melbourne
- Start time: 11.30pm GMT start
- How to watch: BT Sport
South Africa vs. India 1st Test
- When: 26-30 December
- Start time: 8am GMT
- How to watch: Sky Sports Cricket
South Africa vs. India 2nd Test
- When: 3-7 January
- Start time: 8am GMT
- How to watch: Sky Sports Cricket
The Ashes 4th Test: Australia vs. England
- When: 4-8 January
- Where: SCG, Sydney
- Start time: 11.30pm GMT start
- How to watch: BT Sport
3. Darts
PDC World Darts Championship
- When: 27 December-3 January
- How to watch: Sky Sports
4. Horse racing
Boxing Day: Sunday 26 December
- Where: Kempton
- Featured race: King George VI Chase
- How to watch: ITV
Monday 27 December
- Where: Chepstow / Kempton / Wetherby
- Featured race: Welsh Grand National (Chepstow)
- How to watch: ITV4
Tuesday 28 December
- Where: Newbury / Leicester
- How to watch: ITV4
5. NFL
Saturday 25 December
Cleveland Browns @ Green Bay Packers
- Start time: 9.30pm GMT
- How to watch: Sky Sports NFL
Sunday 26 December
Indianapolis Colts @ Arizona Cardinals
- Start time: 1.15am GMT
- How to watch: Sky Sports NFL
Monday 27 December
Washington Football Team @ Dallas Cowboys
- Start time: 1.20am GMT
- How to watch: Sky Sports NFL
Tuesday 28 December
Miami Dolphins @ New Orleans Saints
- Start time: 1.15am GMT
- How to watch: Sky Sports NFL
Monday 3 January
Minnesota Vikings @ Green Bay Packers
- Start time: 1.20am GMT
- How to watch: Sky Sports NFL
6. Rugby union
Boxing Day: Sunday 26 December
English Premiership
- 2pm: Bristol Bears vs. Leicester Tigers (BT Sport)
- 4.30pm: Bath Rugby vs. Gloucester Rugby (BT Sport)
Monday 27 December
Allianz Premier 15s
- 1pm: Harlequins Women vs. Wasps Ladies (BT Sport)
English Premiership
- 5pm: Harlequins vs. Northampton Saints (BT Sport)
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