As December unfolds, do you sense a unique atmosphere filled with joy, happiness, caring, and love? This month is a tapestry of exciting events, celebrations, and joy. The festivities don’t culminate with Christmas; they extend into the next day, known as Boxing Day, observed on December 26. The term Boxing Day has a rich historical origin, dating back to 1833 during the reign of Queen Victoria in England. The concept was born from the practice of wealthy landowners granting a day off to their household servants on December 26, a day they would receive a Christmas box filled with gifts, money, and leftover food as a token of appreciation for their hard work throughout the year.
Another one is Boxing Day, which comes from churches, where people donate money to alms boxes during the season. This donation will be distributed to the people who need it on December 26, so they also call it St. Stephen’s Day. Nowadays, Boxing Day is celebrated by engaging in sports, shopping, or charitable acts. This day is recognized as a public holiday in several countries, including the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth countries. In the modern day, Boxing Day is not just a day for giving and sharing but also a day filled with thrilling sports events that keep the festive spirit alive, especially for sports enthusiasts. While the name might suggest boxing as the main event, it’s a big day for Premier League football games, cricket matches, and other sports.
For cricket enthusiasts, Boxing Day is synonymous with Australia’s matches at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. The Wanderers in South Africa have a tradition of hosting Boxing Day Test matches, and in 2021, the Test between India and South Africa took place at Centurion. This article will unveil the exciting sports events planned for Boxing Day 2024, December 26, 2024. With these details, you can plan your day and ensure you don’t miss the thrilling matches. It’s a perfect opportunity to share these experiences with your loved ones, creating lasting memories and strengthening your bond over a shared love for sports. For more details on each sports event, visit our website, stay updated, and share with your fellow sports fans.
Boxing Day Test
The Boxing Day Test match is a thrilling cricket event held in the charming city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It features the Australian cricket team going head-to-head with a visiting national team touring Australia during the lovely southern summer. The excitement starts yearly on Boxing Day, December 26, at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). In the previous Boxing Day 2023, Australia faced Pakistan, where the game favored a triumph for Australia by 79 runs, and the player of the match was given to Pat Cummins. This Boxing Day, 2024, will witness the battle between Australia and India, a match of significant historical importance in the world of cricket. After their memorable clash in 2020, both teams will be keen to assert their dominance and take the lead in the ongoing series.
Boxing Day Test 2024 Schedule
Match: Australia vs. India
Date: 26 December 2024 to 30 December 2024
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
Address: Brunton Ave, Richmond VIC 3002, Australia
Time: 10.30 AM AEDT | 5.00 AM IST
Broadcast: The Boxing Day Test 2024 will air in India on Star Sports and DD Sports, with live streaming on Hotstar. In Australia, viewers can watch it on Channel 7 and Channel 7+, with Kayo Sports providing live streaming.
Weather Forecast: The temperature is expected to range from 39 to 42°.
Match Overview
On December 26, 2024, Australia will host India in the upcoming fourth test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Melbourne, and this match is going to be even more interesting because of the Boxing Day. In their last three meetings with Australia on Boding Day, India showed a phenomenal performance and was undefeated with one draw and two triumphs. This series will be crucial for both teams as they are currently tied 1-1, making this test significant for the BGT and the World Test Championship (WTC) standings.
Australia
As the team is excited for the Boxing Day Test against India in 2024, there are several key elements we have to watch out for. Teenage sensation Sam Konstas is making his debut and may even open with Usman Khawaja. Sam has impressed with his skillful batting in domestic cricket and is always in the eye of fans, adding freshness to this side. On the bowling side of things, as Josh Hazlewood is unavailable because of an injury, the rise would likely be caused by Jhye Richardson and Scott Boland. Boland had been a good, consistent player, whereas Richardson’s pace would prove critical in giving challenges to the Indians. The batting would include Steve Smith, Marnus Labuschagne, and Travis Head, and this team could get good, anchored innings. Playing at the MCG with its large and passionate crowd will give Australia a significant home advantage, and the team will be looking to leverage this support to put pressure on the Indian side. Australia will look forward to rebounding from their defeat in the last match and winning a game that could be decisive for them, making it a very enthralling and exciting match to watch for fans.
India
Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India is looking to capitalize on their fighting draw at The Gabba and replicate their 2020 success. The trio of Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja, with Kohli’s strength at MCG, will be the ones to watch. Jasprit Bumrah’s excellent bowling record will be crucial on this ground. India will look to KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Rohit Sharma to get good starts and build a partnership. India’s aim to dominate and win a crucial game to take the series lead promises an intense and thrilling contest. On the game day, the team’s adaptability to the conditions and ability to handle pressure will be the deciding factor, emphasizing the significance of this factor in the game’s outcome.
Premier League Boxing Day 2024 Fixtures
This time, on the highly anticipated Premier League Boxing Day 2024, eight matches are scheduled for December 26, 2024. The remaining two games of that match week will also occur on December 27, 2024, marking a significant continuation of the festive football season.
- Manchester City vs Everton
- Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
- Chelsea vs Fulham
- Newcastle United vs Aston Villa
- Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Hotspur
- Southampton vs West Ham United
- Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester United
- Liverpool vs Leicester City
How to watch Premier League Boxing Day 2024?
In the USA, Premier League matches are shown on NBCUniversal platforms, including NBC, NBCSN, USA Network, Telemundo, Universo, and the Peacock streaming service.
You can watch the Premier League Boxing Day 2024 in India on Disney+ Hotstar, the JioTV app, and Star Sports Select 1.
Predictions
Manchester City vs Everton
At Etihad Stadium (Manchester), Manchester City will take on Everton in the Boxing Day 2024 showdown on December 26, 2024. This season was quite challenging for Manchester City, as they could win only one match in their last 11 games across the competition. Despite the setbacks, Erling Haaland remains the key player for Manchester City, and this season he marked 13 goals. On the other hand, Everton has recently shown improved performance, with four clean sheets in their last five games. With James Tarkowski and Idrissa Gueye, Everton relies on their defense. Based on the historical dominance, Manchester City will have the upper hand in this game.
Bournemouth vs Crystal Palace
On December 26, 2024, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace are all set for their Boxing Day match in the Premier League showdown at Vitality Stadium (Bournemouth). Bournemouth is in good form, which placed them sixth in the Premier League table with a record of seven wins, four draws, and five losses. While Crystal Palace has had three draws and two wins in their last five games, currently, they are sitting in 15th place with just three wins, seven draws, and six losses. Bournemouth was dominant in their previous head-to-head match, making Crystal Palace wrap up their game without scoring a single point. Considering Bournemouth’s strong home performances, they will have a higher chance to win this game.
Chelsea vs. Fulham
In the Premier League Boxing Day 2024, Chelsea will lock horns with Fulham on December 26, 2024, at Stamford Bridge (London). Under Enzo Maresca, Chelsea is doing great this season. they are enjoying a five-match winning streak and are undefeated in their last seven home games. With this impressive performance, they are in second place with 34 points. On the other hand, Fulham has shown some sign of improvement and is sitting in eighth place with a record of six wins, six draws, and four losses, and in their last four games, they are undefeated. Chelsea will have an edge to win this game based on their overall performances.
Newcastle United vs Aston Villa
Aston Villa is making a road trip to St. James’ Park (Newcastle) to compete against Newcastle United on December 26, 2024, in the Premier League 2024-25 encounter. In their historical context, Newcastle United dominated the fixture by winning 26 out of the 54 encounters, and their recent victories, including a 5-1 win in the reverse fixture this season, give them a psychological edge. In this game, playing at their home will be a high advantage for Newcastle United, and at the same time, Aston Villa has a solid defense, which will be a big challenge for Newcastle United’s offense. Given the performance of both teams, Newcastle United will have a slight advantage in winning this game.
Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham Hotspur
For Boxing Day, Nottingham Forest welcomes Tottenham Hotspur to City Ground (Nottingham) on December 26, 2024. Nottingham Forest has been a surprise package this season, currently sitting in fourth place with eight wins, four draws, and four losses. In addition to this, they bounced back from a six-game winless streak at their home and won four of their last five matches at their home. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur is having a mixed season, where strong performance is interspersed with disappointing results. Even though both teams are strong enough, the recent inconsistent performance of Tottenham Hotspur will be an added advantage for Nottingham Forest to take dominance in this game.
Southampton vs West Ham United
On Thursday, Southampton will square off against West Ham United on December 26, 2024, at St. Mary’s Stadium (Southampton) in the Premier League Boxing Day 2024 action. This season was a complete disaster for Southampton, currently sitting at the bottom of the table with only one win, two draws, and 13 losses. The primary issue was their defensive vulnerabilities, resulting in their conceding 36 goals so far. Meanwhile, West Ham United is also inconsistent this season, in 14th place with a record of 5-4-7. Their away form has been a mixed bag, with two wins, three draws, and three losses on their travels. This match will be a tough battle for Southampton with these defensive errors, so this will give West Ham United an advantage in winning an advantage in winning this game.
Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Manchester United
Manchester United and Wolverhampton will meet on December 26, 2024, at Molineux Stadium (Wolverhampton) in the upcoming Boxing Day 2024 fixture. Compared to previous seasons, Wolverhampton and Manchester United are struggling a lot with their inconsistent performance this season. Wolves are in the bottom second position; they must use the upcoming games wisely to push up their position and safeguard them from the relegation battle. Manchester United also needs to be more precise in their performance because they are standing in the middle of the table; if they don’t push up, they will not be able to qualify for the Champions League or Europa League group stage. This game will be close and may end up in a draw.
Liverpool vs Leicester City
Leicester City travels away to host the table-topping Liverpool on this thrilling Boxing Day on December 26, 2024, at Anfield (Liverpool). This Premier League 2024-25 season, Liverpool is in excellent form with 11 wins, three draws, one loss, and two points ahead of Chelsea in the league table. The team’s attack was strong, with 31 goals scored, while their defense remained robust, allowing only 13 goals. In contrast, Leicester City has experienced a fluctuating season, currently positioned just a spot and two points above the relegation zone. They have demonstrated resilience under the management of Ruud van Nistelrooy, although their performance has varied. As a result, Liverpool is favored to win this game.
Final Thoughts
We hope this article has given you the leading sports event that will take place on Boxing Day 2024. Looking ahead to the exciting matches and festivities on December 26, 2024, let’s embrace the joy of giving and the wonderful shared moments that make this day unique. Here’s to a memorable Boxing Day filled with warmth, excitement, and lasting memories!
