Traditional Boxing Day football cut down to just one match as fans declare the 'game is gone'

Nearly every year, the vast majority of Christmas fixtures are played on Boxing Day.

But this season, only one Premier League match will take place on the day due to broadcasting rules, according to a report in The Times

With Boxing Day set to fall on a Friday this year, the rest of the fixtures will be played out on Saturday, December 27, and Sunday, December 28.

This change currently only affects the Premier League matches, with games in the Football League still set to go ahead on Boxing Day.

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According to the Premier League broadcasting rules, matches must be played on 33 weekends every season.

Only five rounds of so-called midweek games are included in broadcasting deals, meaning the Premier League is forced to use the weekend after Christmas for matches.

Footy fans have taken to social media to express their anger in the wake of this news.

One wrote: “The game’s gone.”

Another added: “This is ridiculous, Boxing Day football has been a tradition for a very very long time.”

Boxing Day last fell on a Friday in 2014, and that year every match was played on the day.