'Tis the season to cheer, and there will be plenty of cheering for sports fans this Christmas and New Year. In a program full of sporting events to watch on TV, as always, the English Premier League provides the centerpiece of the festive show.
If football is the main course on your Christmas TV menu, there are plenty of delicious side dishes in the form of horse racing, rugby union, the NFL and other Christmas and New Year staples, the PDC World Series of Darts.
All times below are GMT.
participation in the week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Subscribe and save
Sign up for our free weekly newsletters
From our morning news brief to our weekly Big News newsletter, get the best of the week delivered straight to your inbox.
From our morning news brief to our weekly Big News newsletter, get the best of the week delivered straight to your inbox.
PDC World Darts Championship
Englishman Michael Smith has won the 2023 PDC World Darts Championship
(Photo credit: Adrian Denis/AFP via Getty Images)
The 2023-24 PDC World Darts Championship will be held at Alexandra Palace in London. After starting on December 15, the last day of the event before the Christmas break is Saturday, December 23. Play will then resume from Wednesday, December 27, until the final match on Wednesday, January 3. Live on Sky Sports.
Football: English Premier League
The English Premier League dominates the festive season
(Photo credit: Chris J. Ratcliffe/AFP via Getty Images)
Saturday 23 December
West Ham vs. Manchester United (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 united vs. Aston Villa (8pm, Amazon Prime)
Wednesday 27 December
Brentford vs. Wolves (7.30pm, Amazon Prime)
chelsea vs. Crystal Palace (7:30 p.m., 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
Lawton vs. Chelsea (12.30pm, TNT Sports)
Nottingham Forest – Manchester United (5.30pm, Sky Sports)
Sunday 31 December
Fulham vs. Arsenal (2pm, Sky Sports)
Monday 1 January
liverpool vs. Newcastle (8pm, Sky Sports)
Tuesday, January 2
West Ham vs. Brighton (7.30pm, Sky Sports)
Football in Scotland and England
Glasgow rivals Celtic and Rangers face each other on December 30
(Image credit: Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)
Scottish Premier League Sunday 24 December
Motherwell v. Rangers (12 noon, Sky Sports)
Tuesday 26 December
Dundee v. Celtic (3pm, Sky Sports)
Wednesday 27 December
Hibernian vs. Hearts (8pm, Sky Sports)
Saturday 30 December
Celtic vs. Rangers (12.30pm, Sky Sports)
Tuesday, January 2
St Mirren vs. Celtic (5pm, Sky Sports)
English Premier League 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 (12.30pm, Sky Sports)
Sheffield Wednesday vs. Hull City (5.15pm, Sky Sports)
Rugby union: Premiership rugby league
(Image credit: Ben Hoskins/Getty Images)
Saturday 23 December
Rugby pigeons vs. Harlequins (3.05pm, TNT Sports)
Friday 29 December
Bristol Bears vs Exeter Chiefs (7.45pm, TNT Sports)
Saturday 30 December
Northampton Saints vs. Sharks Sale (3.05pm, TNT Sports)
Harlequins vs. Gloucester Rugby (5.30pm, TNT Sports)
Sunday 31 December
Leicester Tigers vs. Bath Rugby (3 p.m., TNT Sports)
Horse racing
The Welsh Grand National takes place at Chepstow on 27 December
(Image credit: David Davies/Pool/Getty Images)
ITV Racing He has a busy schedule over the holidays. The broadcaster will show live coverage and events from race meetings across the UK and Ireland. A list of races worth watching includes 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 a New Year's Day race at Cheltenham.
American Football: NFL
NFL Super Bowl winners hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy
(Image credit: Elsa/Getty Images)
Saturday 23 December
Cincinnati Bengals – Pittsburgh Steelers (9:30 p.m., Sky Sports)
Sunday 24 December
Buffalo Bills at Los Angeles Chargers (1 a.m., Sky Sports)
Monday 25 December
New England Patriots at Denver Broncos (1.15am, Sky Sports)
Las Vegas Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (6 p.m., Sky Sports)
New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles (9:30 p.m., 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
Supersports Park in Centurion, South Africa
(Image credit: Julian Feeney/Getty Images)
December 26-30
South Africa vs. India, 1st Test (daily from 7am; Sky Sports)
More Stories
England wear black mourning kit for 'Svennis' at Wembley
Argentina fight in vain – one goal is enough for England | Sports
Russians in European Championship final – Italy vs England on penalties – Sports – svenska.yle.fi