The NFL has made a decision to schedule games on Christmas Day in 2024, despite previous indications that they were unlikely to do so due to the holiday falling on a Wednesday, which is outside the league’s normal schedule. NFL VP Mike North had previously stated that the league’s fans have shown interest in watching games on holidays, leading to strong viewership during last year’s Christmas Day triple-header. This decision marks a continuation of the NFL’s efforts to expand its dominance throughout the holiday calendar, in addition to the traditional Thanksgiving Day games.
The specific teams that will play on Christmas Day have not been determined yet, but the NFL plans to schedule two games as part of a doubleheader. Last Christmas, there were three games played, featuring matchups between the Baltimore Ravens-San Francisco 49ers, New York Giants-Philadelphia Eagles, and Las Vegas Raiders-Kansas City Chiefs. This upcoming game on Dec. 25 will only be the third time in the last 75 years that an NFL game is played on a Wednesday, with the previous Wednesday game being a result of unexpected COVID-19 issues.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell clarified that playing games on Wednesdays will not become a regular occurrence, but will only happen when Christmas falls on that day. The league has previously only scheduled a Wednesday game once, due to the aforementioned COVID-19 related issues. The teams selected for the Christmas Day game will play their Week 16 game on Saturday, Dec. 21 in order to accommodate the schedule. Looking ahead, Christmas in 2025 will fall on a Thursday, with no future dates falling on a Tuesday or Wednesday until 2029.
This decision to schedule games on Christmas Day in 2024 marks a deviation from previous plans due to the holiday falling on a Wednesday. Despite initial hesitation, the NFL has observed strong viewership during holiday games, leading to a push to expand their holiday schedule beyond Thanksgiving. While the specific teams playing on Christmas Day have yet to be determined, the league plans to schedule a doubleheader for that day. This upcoming game will be only the third time in the last 75 years that an NFL game is played on a Wednesday, with previous instances being rare occurrences such as COVID-19 related rescheduling.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has emphasized that playing games on Wednesdays will not become a regular practice, but will only happen when Christmas falls on that day. The selected teams for the Christmas Day game will adjust their schedule to play their Week 16 game on Saturday to accommodate the mid-week game. Looking ahead, the NFL anticipates no more Christmas games falling on Tuesdays or Wednesdays until 2029. This decision reflects the league’s flexibility in responding to fan interest and adapting their schedule to include more holiday games outside of the traditional Thanksgiving lineup.
