Festive sport on TV guide: Christmas 2023 and New Year listings
Enjoy a feast of festive sport with football, darts, racing and NFL
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, Premier League football provides the centrepiece of the festive offering.
If football is the main course of the Christmas TV menu, then there are plenty of delicious side dishes in the form of horse racing, rugby union, NFL, and that other Christmas and New Year staple, the PDC World Darts Championship.
All times below are GMT.
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PDC World Darts Championship
The 2023-24 PDC World Darts Championship takes place at Alexandra Palace in London. After starting on 15 December, the last day of action before the Christmas break is on Saturday 23 December. Play then resumes from Wednesday 27 December until the final on Wednesday 3 January. Live on Sky Sports.
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 23 December
- West Ham vs. Man Utd (12.30pm; TNT Sports)
- Liverpool vs. Arsenal (5.30pm; Sky Sports)
Sunday 24 December
- Wolves vs. Chelsea (1pm; Sky Sports)
Tuesday 26 December
- Newcastle vs. Nottingham Forest (12.30pm; Amazon Prime)
- Bournemouth vs. Fulham (3pm; Amazon Prime)
- Sheffield United vs. Luton (3pm; Amazon Prime)
- Burnley vs. Liverpool (5.30pm; Amazon Prime)
- Man Utd vs. Aston Villa (8pm; Amazon Prime)
Wednesday 27 December
- Brentford vs. Wolves (7.30pm; Amazon Prime)
- Chelsea vs. Crystal Palace (7.30pm; Amazon Prime)
- Everton vs. Man City (8.15pm; Amazon Prime)
Thursday 28 December
- Brighton vs. Tottenham (7.30pm; Amazon Prime)
- Arsenal vs West Ham (8.15pm; Amazon Prime)
Saturday 30 December
- Luton vs. Chelsea (12.30pm; TNT Sports)
- Nottingham Forest vs Man Utd (5.30pm; Sky Sports)
Sunday 31 December
- Fulham vs. Arsenal (2pm; Sky Sports)
Monday 1 January
- Liverpool vs. Newcastle (8pm; Sky Sports)
Tuesday 2 January
- West Ham vs. Brighton (7.30pm; Sky Sports)
Football in Scotland and England
Scottish Premiership
Sunday 24 December
- Motherwell vs. Rangers (12pm; Sky Sports)
Tuesday 26 December
- Dundee vs. Celtic (3pm; Sky Sports)
Wednesday 27 December
- Hibernian vs. Hearts (8pm; Sky Sports)
Saturday 30 December
- Celtic vs. Rangers (12.30pm; Sky Sports)
Tuesday 2 January
- St Mirren vs. Celtic (5pm; Sky Sports)
EFL Championship
Saturday 23 December
- Leeds United vs. Ipswich Town (12.30pm; Sky Sports)
Tuesday 26 December
- Preston North End vs. Leeds United (12.30pm; Sky Sports)
- Birmingham City vs. Stoke City (5.15pm; Sky Sports)
- Ipswich Town vs. Leicester City (7.45pm; Sky Sports)
Friday 29 December
- Southampton vs. Plymouth Argyle (6pm; Sky Sports)
- West Bromwich Albion vs. Leeds United (8.15pm; Sky Sports)
Monday 1 January
- Sunderland vs. Preston North End (12.30; Sky Sports)
- Sheffield Wednesday vs. Hull City (5.15pm; Sky Sports)
Rugby union: Premiership Rugby
Saturday 23 December
- Bath Rugby vs. Harlequins (3.05pm, TNT Sports)
Friday 29 December
- Bristol Bears vs. Exeter Chiefs (7.45pm, TNT Sports)
Saturday 30 December
- Northampton Saints vs. Sale Sharks (3.05pm, TNT Sports)
- Harlequins vs. Gloucester Rugby (5.30pm, TNT Sports)
Sunday 31 December
- Leicester Tigers vs. Bath Rugby (3pm, TNT Sports)
Horse racing
ITV Racing has a packed schedule over the festive period. The broadcaster will show live coverage and action from race meetings across the UK and Ireland. Pick of the races to watch include the King George VI Chase at Kempton Park on Boxing Day and the Welsh Grand National at Chepstow on Wednesday 27 December. There will also be New Year's Day racing at Cheltenham.
American football: NFL
Saturday 23 December
- Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers (9.30pm; Sky Sports)
Sunday 24 December
- Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Chargers (1am; Sky Sports)
Monday 25 December
- New England Patriots at Denver Broncos (1.15am; Sky Sports)
- Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (6pm; Sky Sports)
- New York Giants at Philadelphia Eagles (9.30pm; Sky Sports)
Tuesday 26 December
- Baltimore Ravens at San Francisco 49ers (1.15am; Sky Sports)
Friday 29 December
- New York Jets at Cleveland Browns (1.15am; Sky Sports)
Sunday 31 December
- Detroit Lions at Dallas Cowboys (1.15am; Sky Sports)
Monday 1 January
- Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (1.20am; Sky Sports)
Cricket: Test match
26-30 December
- South Africa vs. India, first Test (daily from 7am; Sky Sports)
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Mike Starling is the former digital features editor at The Week. He started his career in 2001 in Gloucestershire as a sports reporter and sub-editor and has held various roles as a writer and editor at news, travel and B2B publications. He has spoken at a number of sports business conferences and also worked as a consultant creating sports travel content for tourism boards. International experience includes spells living and working in Dubai, UAE; Brisbane, Australia; and Beirut, Lebanon.
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