Newcastle United fans face festive Premier League fixture change

This season’s fixtures, which will be published at 9am today, will not include the traditional round of games between Boxing Day and the New Year, according to the Daily Telegraph.

The decision has reportedly been made to allay concerns over player burnout following the World Cup final, which is being staged in Doha, Qatar, on December 18.

And the Premier League’s festive fixture schedule will only include games on Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and January 2.

A number of Newcastle United players, among them KIeran Trippier and Fabian Schar, are likely to be involved in the World Cup, which was moved to a winter month due to the high summer temperatures in Qatar. The tournament kicks off on November 21, and the Premier League will take a break on the weekend of November 12 and 13, and resume on Boxing Day.