If you're sitting around on December 24th wondering are there any football games on christmas eve, the answer usually depends entirely on what day of the week it is. It's kind of a chaotic science. Unlike Thanksgiving, which has been a locked-in NFL tradition for decades, Christmas Eve is a bit of a scheduling nomad. The NFL and college bowl committees treat the holiday like a moving target, constantly shifting based on broadcast deals and the way the calendar falls.
Football is basically the new Yule log. But here is the thing: the league is actually pretty protective of the holiday—sort of. While they’ve gotten more aggressive about playing on Christmas Day recently, Christmas Eve remains the "Big Saturday" equivalent for the NFL when the holiday lands on a weekend. If December 24th is a Tuesday or Wednesday? You might be out of luck unless a random bowl game saves the day.
The NFL Strategy for Christmas Eve Games
The NFL doesn't have a "fixed" Christmas Eve game. Instead, they use a "flexible" philosophy. When Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday, the league typically moves the bulk of its Sunday afternoon slate to the 24th. This happened in 2022, where we saw a massive 11-game explosion on Christmas Eve. It was glorious. It was also exhausting for anyone trying to wrap presents while checking fantasy scores.
Honestly, the league prefers to keep the 24th as a day for the "rank and file" games. They save the massive, standalone triple-headers for Christmas Day. You've probably noticed the shift. A few years ago, the NFL was hesitant to play on Christmas. Now? They realize the ratings are astronomical. People want an excuse to ignore their weird Uncle Dave’s political rants, and a Raiders-Chiefs matchup is the perfect shield.
But if you are looking for a night game on Christmas Eve, you might be disappointed. The NFL almost always avoids a Monday Night Football or Sunday Night Football window on Christmas Eve night. Why? Because they know the audience drops off a cliff after 8:00 PM. Families are doing dinners, church services, or the "Santa’s coming" ritual. They’d rather stack the 1:00 PM and 4:00 PM ET windows and let everyone go home for eggnog by sunset.
College Football and the "Empty" Eve
College football is a different beast entirely. You’d think the bowl season would be in full swing, right? Not really. Most years, the 24th is actually one of the quietest days in the bowl calendar.
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The Hawaii Bowl used to be the staple. It was the "late-night Christmas Eve" tradition for die-hard bettors and people who just couldn't sleep. It was played on the 24th for years because it aired in the afternoon in Honolulu and late night on the mainland. However, even that tradition has been hit-or-miss lately due to sponsorship shifts and TV window battles. Most bowl committees prefer the 23rd or the 26th. They don't want to compete with the NFL's massive gravity well on the 24th, and they certainly don't want to pay the stadium staff holiday overtime if they don't have to.
Breaking Down the 2025-2026 Scheduling Logic
Since we are looking at the current cycle, the 2025 season actually sees Christmas Eve fall on a Wednesday. This is a nightmare for football fans. Traditionally, the NFL does not play on Wednesdays. It messes up the rest of the week's practice schedule and pushes the limits of player safety regarding rest.
However, don't say "never." The league is getting bolder. In 2024, they scheduled games on Christmas Day (a Wednesday), which means they forced teams to play on a short week after a Saturday game. For 2025, the NFL's focus is on Christmas Day, not the Eve. This means are there any football games on christmas eve in 2025? The answer is likely zero NFL games. You’ll have to wait until Thursday the 25th to get your fix.
It’s a weird reality. The sport has become so dominant that they are willing to break every scheduling rule they once held sacred. But the Eve remains the "sacrificed" day when it hits mid-week.
Why the NFL Owns Your Living Room
Television networks like CBS, FOX, and NBC are basically in a bidding war for holiday eyeballs. Netflix even got into the mix recently, grabbing Christmas Day rights. This matters because it pushes the "lesser" games to the surrounding days.
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- The Saturday Flex: If the 24th is a Saturday, expect 10+ games.
- The Sunday Shift: If the 24th is a Sunday, the NFL moves most games to Saturday the 23rd, but will keep one or two "special" windows open on the 24th.
- The Mid-Week Ghost Town: Monday through Thursday Christmas Eves are usually barren.
It’s all about the "window." Networks know that Christmas Eve afternoon is a prime "passive viewing" time. People are prepping food. The TV is on in the background. Advertisers love that. But once the clock hits 7:00 PM? The numbers tank. That’s why you rarely see a Night game on Christmas Eve. It’s the one time the NFL admits it can’t beat Santa Claus.
Misconceptions About Holiday Football
A lot of people think there is a "Christmas Eve Classic" or something similar. There isn't. Not in the way the Cowboys and Lions own Thanksgiving.
Some fans also confuse the "Boxing Day" soccer tradition in the UK with American football. If you are a fan of the Premier League, the 24th is usually quiet, but the 26th is the biggest day of the year. In the US, we do the opposite. We front-load the weekend and then pray there’s a bowl game to keep us occupied while we’re stuck at our in-laws' house.
Another common myth is that the CFL or XFL/UFL might fill the gap. No. Those leagues are strictly spring/summer or finish up way before the winter solstice. If you want football on the 24th, it is NFL or bust—and even then, only if the calendar gods smile on you.
What To Do When There Are No Games
So, what happens if you check the schedule and it's blank? It happens more often than you'd think. Honestly, it's the perfect time to catch up on the playoff implications you missed.
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- Check the "In The Hunt" Graphics: By the 24th, the playoff picture is usually a mess of tiebreakers.
- Rewatch the 1971 "Longest Game Ever": If you're a historian, the Dolphins and Chiefs played an AFC Divisional game on Christmas Day in 1971 that went into double overtime. It’s the reason the NFL was scared to schedule holiday games for decades—it literally ruined Christmas dinners across the country.
- Fantasy Football Finals: Most leagues hold their championships in Week 17 or 18. Christmas Eve is usually the day you’re obsessively checking the injury reports for your star wide receiver.
The Actionable Verdict
To find out if there are games this specific year, you need to look at the day of the week.
If it's a Saturday, you're in luck; there will be a full slate.
If it's a Sunday, there will be a handful of afternoon games, but the "main" action happened the day before.
If it's Monday through Friday, the NFL is almost certainly skipping the 24th to focus on a massive Christmas Day broadcast.
Your best move is to download the NFL app in early December and look for the "Holiday Schedule" announcement. The league usually drops the specific times and dates for the holiday "triple-headers" in May, but they sometimes flex games as late as two weeks before kickoff.
Don't just assume the game is on. Check the "Flex Scheduling" updates. Because the only thing worse than no football on Christmas Eve is planning your whole day around a game that got moved to Saturday night at the last minute.
Go ahead and verify the specific calendar for this season now. If the 24th falls on a Tuesday or Wednesday, start looking for a movie or a good book, because the gridiron will likely be cold until the 25th.