How trains strikes will impact football over Christmas

Shambolic governing inevitably seeps into every corner of life - and festive Football won't escape it.

We're set for an exciting return to domestic action over the coming days, as the Premier League gets back underway with seven Boxing Day fixtures before three matches take place across the following two days. There is also, of course, a packed EFL schedule spanning from Boxing Day until the new year.

Fans, however, will have to be weary of travel across this period due to train strikes.

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When will there be train strikes in December and January?

The brunt of the impact will be for the Boxing Day fixtures.

With a national strike scheduled, there will be no trains running between 24 and 26 December. Supporters can therefore expect heavy traffic on motorways and roads should they look for alternative transport to matches.

Following that, there will be local industrial action, resulting in disruptions, from 28 December until 2 January, likely impacting many fans' journeys for the matches scheduled to take place in that time.

There will then be another national strike between 3 and 7 January, resulting in no trains across England and Wales during that period.

Standout football games affected by national train strikes in England and Wales

• Brentford vs Tottenham - Premier League - 26 December
• Leicester vs Newcastle - Premier League - 26 December
• Aston Villa vs Liverpool - Premier League - 26 December
• Arsenal vs West Ham - Premier League - 26 December
• Arsenal vs Newcastle - Premier League - 3 January
• Manchester United vs Bournemouth - Premier League - 3 January
• Crystal Palace vs Tottenham - Premier League - 4 January
• Chelsea vs Manchester City - Premier League - 5 January
• Manchester United vs Everton - FA Cup - 6 January
• Tottenham vs Portsmouth - FA Cup - 7 January
• Liverpool vs Wolves - FA Cup - 7 January

Train strikes in Scotland

Fans of Scottish Premiership and Scottish Football League sides will also be impacted over the festive period.

The national strikes mentioned above will affect fixtures scheduled for Saturday 24 December and Saturday 7 January - both times affecting Travel for supporters of Celtic and Aberdeen among others.

Scotland will also be affected by strikes on the 3, 4, 6, and 7 January, so fans should take particular care when travelling for football over these dates.

Standout football games affected by national train strikes in England and Wales

• Celtic vs St. Johnstone - Scottish Premiership - 24 December
• St. Mirren vs Aberdeen - Scottish Premiership - 24 December
• Raith Rovers vs Dundee FC - Scottish Championship - 6 January
• Celtic vs Kilmarnok - Scottish Premiership - 7 January
• Aberdeen vs St. Johnstone - Scottish Premiership - 7 January
• Partick Thistle vs Greenock Morton - Scottish Championship - 7 January
• FC Edinburgh vs Dunfermline - Scottish League One - 7 January
• Dumbarton vs Stirling Albion - Scottish League Two - 7 January