Here’s all of the soccer you’ll be able to see on Christmas Day – together with UK cup ultimate
Many footie fans will be counting down the hours to get their match day fix at Christmas, but fear not as there are some games on. Your Daily Star has you covered with all the action available
Footie fans can still get their fix of the action on Christmas Day including seeing top stars like Alexandre Lacazette – and a cracker of a match in the UK.
It is now 60 years since the final festive football league game was played on December 25 in this country and the annual Boxing Day fixtures have become a Yuletide tradition for fans of clubs across the football league.
But fear not if you can’t wait that long as Holywood FC take on Ballymacash Rangers in the Steel & Sons Cup Final, which kicks off at 10.45am at Seaview Stadium in Belfast.
The mouthwatering clash is the culmination of the annual competition – also known as the Steel Cup – ran by the County Antrim & District FA in Northern Ireland.
The trophy was donated to the FA in 1895 by David Steel, who ran wholesale jewellers Steel & Sons Ltd, and has been played on December 25 since its inception, apart from when it falls on a Sunday.
Lisburn-based Ballymacash Rangers beat Bangor Amateurs, Larne Tech, Shankill United, Lisburn Rangers and Crumlin Star to secure their place in the final.
Meanwhile opponents Holywood FC saw off Saintfield United, East Belfast, Ballyclare Crusaders, Willowbank FC and Rosario to book their slot in the showpiece event.
And they were this week sent a good luck message from hometown hero actor Jamie Dornan, who told them: “Sorry it’s not Rory McIlory, obviously nobody can get a hold of him this week.
“But I wanted to wish you all the best in the Steel & Sons Cup Final on Christmas morning of all days. Brilliant achievement even getting to the final, so fair play for that.
“Good luck, I hope you take it all the way. I’m actually home at the moment, I could have come to see it but I don’t think I’d get away with that with three kids on Christmas morning. But best of luck, hope you take it home and Merry Christmas. Good luck!”
Blackpool and Blackburn Rovers played out the final Football League game on December 25 in 1965, but before then it had been a staple of the fixture list as clubs jumped at the chance to attract a bumper crowd on one of the few public holidays.
It is no longer done, but there will be top flight football played on December 25 elsewhere in the world.
In Algeria’s Ligue 1, CR Belouizdad will take on ES Setif at 6.30pm.
Meanwhile in Egypt’s League Cup, El Gouna play National Bank while Al Masry SC take on Haras El Hodoud at 3pm. Then at 6pm, Pyramids FC clash with Ismaily SC and Zamalek SC will play Smouha SC.
In Iran’s Persian Gulf League, Aluminium face Malavan at 12 noon before Esteghlal Kh play Zob Ahan at 2pm.
In Israel, there a four games kicking off at 5pm in the Cup Round of 32. They are: Bnei Sakhnin v Maccabi Kabilio Jaffa; Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv v Maccabi Kiryat Ata-Bialik; Hapoel Petah Tikva v Hapoel Karmiel and Hapoel Raanana v Maccabi Kiryat Gat.
Then at 6pm, Hapoel Tel Aviv clash with FC Ashdod in the same competition.
In the Suadi Pro League, Al-Fayha take on Al Hazem at 2pm, Al Riyadh clash with Al-Ettifaq and Alexandre Lacazette’s Neom SC take on Al Namja at at 5.30pm.
Since the second league season in 1889-90, Christmas Day had been a major date on the footballing calendar.
Public transport still ran on Christmas Day in those days, making it easier for working class fans to get to matches, and clubs would often play the reverse fixtures on Boxing Day.
But the tradition began to wain as public transport reduced and other social culture activities such as cinema showings also cut back.
Professor Martin Johnes of Swansea University told BBC Sport: “Christmas football was originally rooted in a wider tradition of communal entertainments.
“While for the Victorian middle class Christmas was a festival of the home, for the workers, who lived in cramped, overcrowded housing, getting out was often more important.
“Football, pantomimes, informal gatherings, community rituals and traditions all provided people with opportunities to socialise and enjoy the day off work. But by the 1950s, games on Christmas Day seemed out of sorts with the wider festival.
“There were greater expectations of men at home and homes had also become more comfortable thanks to better furnishings, new housing stock, slum clearances and more affordable fuel.
“There was also more entertainment at home thanks to TV. Thus the idea of escaping family for a few hours was less desirable and football attendances in general were falling during the 1950s.”
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