What to do in London at Christmas and New Year: Football, Gigs and Fireworks
← Back to all articlesLondon over Christmas and New Year is busy in the best way with thousands of tourists visiting to see what London has to offer during these magical days. And the schedule is busy! Football nearly every other day, 2026 brings Kasabian at The O2 the week before Christmas, and the Mayor of London's fireworks over the Thames on New Year's Eve. Here is what's on from 12 to 31 December 2026, what tickets cost and how to get around when the Tube shuts.
All events can be purchased directly via Love1Ticket. Resale tickets may be above face value.
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Football in the run-up to Christmas
There are nine London games over the two weekends before Christmas. The Premier League kick-offs below were confirmed for TV on 19 October, and times can still move.
Weekend of 12 and 13 December
- QPR v Watford, Saturday 12 December, 12:30, Loftus Road, from around £80
- Fulham v Brentford, Saturday 12 December, 15:00, Craven Cottage, from around £117
- West Ham v Bristol City, Saturday 12 December, 15:00, London Stadium, from around £66
- Arsenal v Bournemouth, Sunday 13 December, 14:00, Emirates Stadium, from around £257
- Crystal Palace v Man Utd, Sunday 13 December, 19:00, Selhurst Park, from around £162
Fulham v Brentford is a west London derby on a Saturday afternoon by the river. If you want a cheap way in, West Ham at the London Stadium is the lowest price of the weekend.
Weekend of 19 to 21 December
- Brentford v Newcastle, Saturday 19 December, 12:30, Brentford Community Stadium, from around £100
- Millwall v Charlton, Saturday 19 December, 12:30, The Den, from around £96
- Arsenal v Man Utd, Sunday 20 December, 16:30, Emirates Stadium, from around £472
- Chelsea v Aston Villa, Monday 21 December, 20:00, Stamford Bridge, from around £257
Arsenal v Man Utd is the big one before Christmas, and the price shows it. Chelsea v Aston Villa could still move to Saturday 19 December at 20:00, depending on the EFL Cup, so check the match page before you book travel.
Kasabian at The O2, Friday 18 December
Kasabian play The O2 on Friday 18 December, the London night of their five-date UK arena tour, with The Vaccines as special guests. Tickets start from around £87 including fees.
North Greenwich on the Jubilee line is right outside the arena. Expect queues for the Tube after the show, or take the river bus from the pier next door.
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Getting around over Christmas
Plan around the transport, not just the date. In recent years TfL has run no Tube, bus or train services on Christmas Day, a reduced service on Boxing Day, and earlier finishes on Christmas Eve. Check TfL for this year's times before you set off, especially for a Boxing Day game.
Boxing Day and the week after
Boxing Day is a full afternoon of London football, and the games keep coming right up to New Year's Eve.
- Spurs v Bournemouth, Saturday 26 December, 15:00, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, from around £111
- Fulham v Brighton, Saturday 26 December, 15:00, Craven Cottage, from around £131
- QPR v Bristol City, Saturday 26 December, 15:00, Loftus Road, from around £80
- West Ham v Norwich, Saturday 26 December, 15:00, London Stadium, from around £67
- Crystal Palace v Arsenal, Sunday 27 December, 19:00, Selhurst Park, from around £223
- Spurs v Brighton, Tuesday 29 December, 19:30, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, from around £105
- Millwall v Portsmouth, Tuesday 29 December, 19:45, The Den, from around £86
- Fulham v Arsenal, Wednesday 30 December, 19:30, Craven Cottage, from around £243
- Crystal Palace v Bournemouth, Wednesday 30 December, 19:30, Selhurst Park, from around £111
The evening games on the 29th and 30th are a good fit if you're in town for New Year and want a night out before the 31st.
New Year's Eve fireworks on the Thames
The Mayor of London's fireworks go off over the river by the London Eye at midnight on Thursday 31 December. The riverside is ticketed: without a ticket you can't get into the viewing areas.
There are six viewing areas, each with its own entry gate. Gates are open from 8pm to 10:30pm, and you can't move between areas once you're in, so book your group into the same one.
Fireworks ticket prices by viewing area
- Green: directly behind the London Eye, the closest view, from around £93
- Red: Victoria Embankment further down the river, side view, from around £93
- Blue: Victoria Embankment, head-on view of the London Eye, from around £116
- White: Westminster Bridge, side view, from around £116
- Pink: Waterloo Bridge, side view, from around £116
- Orange: Albert Embankment, the accessible area, with seating and a partial side view, from around £131
Prices include fees, as of 21 October 2026. Green is the best value: the closest view for the lowest price. Blue is the classic head-on view of the London Eye. We have over 500 fireworks tickets listed across all six areas. Pink, on Waterloo Bridge, has the fewest.
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FAQs about Christmas and New Year in London
What's on in London between Christmas and New Year?
Football on Boxing Day, Crystal Palace v Arsenal on the 27th, four more games on 29 and 30 December, then the fireworks on New Year's Eve.
Is there football in London on Boxing Day?
Yes. Spurs v Bournemouth, Fulham v Brighton, QPR v Bristol City and West Ham v Norwich all kick off at 15:00 on Saturday 26 December 2026.
When is Arsenal v Man Utd?
Sunday 20 December 2026 at 16:30, at the Emirates. It was moved from the Saturday for live TV.
Does the Tube run on Christmas Day?
No. In recent years TfL has run no Tube, bus or train services on Christmas Day. Taxis and Santander Cycles still run.
How much are New Year's Eve fireworks tickets?
On Love1Ticket they start from around £93 including fees in the Green and Red areas, and from around £116 for the head-on view from the Blue area.
Are tickets on Love1Ticket safe?
Every ticket comes from an approved ticket specialist, prices include fees, and every order is covered by our 100% Money Back Guarantee.
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