Change to the Premier League schedule: Arsenal and Crystal Palace matches have been moved to the League Cup quarter-final

The Premier League has agreed to adjust the calendar to prevent league leaders Arsenal and Crystal Palace from playing two matches in three days, including their League Cup quarter-final.

Because both London clubs also had European commitments (Arsenal in the Champions League and Palace in the Conference League), traffic congestion caused problems in terms of the players’ well-being.

Last week, the English Football League said the League Cup was being undermined by schedule crowds due to expanded European cup competitions when it confirmed Palace’s quarter-final with Arsenal would be played on December 23.

The Premier League then announced on Tuesday that the Everton vs Arsenal and Leeds United vs Palace matches have been moved from December 21 to December 20 (Saturday), giving both teams some breathing space for their cup tie.

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“Player welfare is a priority for the Premier League and that is why we have honored requests from Arsenal and Crystal Palace to reschedule their matches,” the Premier League said in a statement.

“This comes after scheduling matches from other competitions around Premier League matches without sufficient recovery time for players.

“This is also further evidence of the impact that the expanded UEFA competitions are having on the domestic fixture list. The League would like to thank Leeds United and Everton for their cooperation in accommodating these changes.”

AT LEAST 72 HOURS OF REST

Arsenal had argued that playing two matches within a 48-hour period would have breached FIFA recommendations, which call for a minimum 72-hour rest period between matches.

«This recommendation is designed to protect the health and fitness of players. Recovery time between matches is particularly important during busy periods of the season such as December,» Arsenal said.

Arsenal turned down the chance to play the quarter-final on Christmas Eve as it would have affected fans and workforce.

That option was also ruled out following discussions with the Metropolitan Police and Transport for London, which cited limited public transport services.

Published on November 11, 2025