Football
Premier League
Spurs vs Liverpool: Both teams are having seasons that veer between frustrating and disastrous. A win would go a long way to bringing some Christmas cheer to both the fans and the under-pressure managers. Given their catastrophic display against Nottm Forest last week, it is hard to see anything other than the hosts being defeated again. The game kicks off at 5.30pm GMT/12.30pm ET on Saturday, 20th December. It is available to watch on Sky Sports/NOW in the UK and on NBC/Peacock in the US.
Aston Villa vs Man Utd: Aston Villa have been incredibly impressive this season. There is even talk of them being in the title race. There are no such conversations around Man Utd, who were involved in that chaotic 4-4 draw against Bournemouth on Monday. Losing Bryan Mbuemo to AFCON is a huge blow for Ruben Amorim. The game kicks off at 4.30pm GMT/11.30am ET on Sunday, 21st December. It is available to watch on Sky Sports/NOW in the UK and on NBC/Peacock in the US.
Man Utd vs Newcastle: There is, outrageously, just one Boxing Day fixture this year. However, it could well be a good one. The Toon Army have not been great this season and seem to be suffering from having midweek Champions League games. Who knows what version of Man Utd will turn up? The game kicks off at 8pm GMT/3am ET on Saturday, 26th December. It is available to watch on Sky Sports/NOW in the UK and on USA Network in the US.
Arsenal vs Brighton: The Gunners go into the festive period top of the league. They have been impressive across all competitions this year, but have shown a small amount of vulnerability in the last couple of weeks. They were lucky to beat Wolves last time out. The Seagulls are the type of well-organised side who could capitalise, especially as Arsenal have an extra game to play – their League Cup semi-final against Crystal Palace on Tuesday. The game kicks off at 3pm GMT/10am ET on Saturday, 27th December. It is not available to watch in the UK, but is on USA Network in the US.
Sunderland vs Leeds: These teams both came up from the Championship last year. The Black Cats in particular have impressed in the Premier League, while Leeds remain wary of the drop. A win for Daniel Farke’s side could prove crucial. The game kicks off at 2pm GMT/9am ET on Sunday, 28th December. It is available to watch on Sky Sports/NOW in the UK and on USA Network in the US.
Crystal Palace vs Fulham: A London derby to get the new year going! These two teams are full of talent, but likely to be affected by AFCON absentees. This should be a tight, competitive match, though. The game kicks off at 5pm GMT/12pm ET on Thursday, 1st January, 2026. It is available to watch on Sky Sports/NOW in the UK and on Peacock in the US.
Man City vs Chelsea: This is not exactly a title decider, but it might dictate who gets to go all the way against Arsenal. There are even rumours that Blues boss Enzo Maresca might replace Pep Guardiola at the end of the season. Is this his audition? The game kicks off at 5.30pm GMT/13.30pm ET on Sunday, 4th January, 2026. It is available to watch on Sky Sports/NOW in the UK and on Peacock in the US.
Darts
World Championship: The drama from Ally Pally reaches its climax over the festive period, as Luke “The Nuke” Littler fights to retain his crown. It’s the best party in town. The final begins at 8pm GMT/3pm ET on Saturday, 3rd January, 2026. All the action is live on Sky Sports/NOW in the UK and on Peacock in the US.
NFL
For the second year, Netflix has two NFL games on Christmas Day. We’ve got Washington Commanders vs Dallas Cowboys at 6pm GMT/1pm ET, then Minnesota Vikings vs Detroit Lions at 9.30pm GMT/4.30pm ET.
Not Sport
Gavin & Stacey – The Finale: Is there anyone in the UK who hasn’t seen this yet? Anyway, it’s on Christmas Eve at 8.25pm GMT/3.25pm ET on BBC One/iPlayer.
Gladiators – Celebrity Special: The return of Gladiators has been something of a hit, so now we have a celeb version. It features Joe Wicks and Nicola Adams, who at least will probably be able to get up the Travelator. It’s on at 3.35pm GMT/10.35am ET on Christmas Day on BBC One/iPlayer.
Wallace and Gromit: My favourite Christmas watch! Vengeance most Fowl is on at 7pm GMT/2pm ET, with The Wrong Trousers at 9.45pm GMT/4.45PM ET on Christmas Day on BBC 3/iPlayer.
If you’re away, you can still access your usual services by using a VPN. I use NordVPN.You can currently get up to 74% off with their holiday deal.