NFL Christmas Day Game Schedule and Matchups
The NFL consistently schedules games on Christmas Day when the holiday falls on a Tuesday or Wednesday, with the league typically holding a tripleheader. The afternoon slate usually begins with a game at 1:00 PM ET, followed by a primetime matchup at 4:30 PM ET, and a late-night game at 8:15 PM ET on NFL Network and Prime Video. The Christmas Day schedule often features competitive AFC and NFC matchups, with the league rotating marquee teams to maximize viewership. The 2024 Christmas Day tripleheader included the Cleveland Browns hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Baltimore Ravens facing the Houston Texans, and the Green Bay Packers playing the Chicago Bears, drawing significant audiences across broadcast and streaming platforms. For the full official schedule and team matchups, visit the NFL official website.
NFL Christmas Day games have become a consistent part of the league's regular-season calendar, with the league scheduling games on December 25 in multiple recent seasons. The tripleheader format ensures three full games are played, with each contest typically drawing between 10 million and 25 million viewers depending on the matchup and broadcast window. The NFL uses Christmas Day games to reward high-performing teams and provide additional inventory for its broadcast partners. The league's Christmas Day scheduling aligns with its broader strategy of maximizing revenue through premium holiday slots, which command higher advertising rates than standard regular-season games. The NFL's Christmas Day games are also part of the league's flexible scheduling rules, which allow the league to move games to more prominent time slots based on playoff implications and team records.
Broadcast Partners and Streaming Distribution
NFL Christmas Day games are distributed across multiple networks, with Amazon Prime Video holding exclusive streaming rights for one of the three games in the tripleheader. The league's broadcast partners for Christmas Day include NFL Network, CBS, and NBC, depending on the specific year and scheduling decisions. Amazon's exclusive Christmas Day game has been part of the company's $1 billion per year NFL streaming deal, which began in 2022 and runs through the 2033 season. The Christmas Day broadcast lineup also includes extensive pregame and postgame coverage, with analysts and former players providing context for holiday matchups. The multi-network distribution ensures maximum reach for advertisers and the NFL's global audience.
The financial structure of NFL Christmas Day broadcasts reflects the premium nature of holiday programming, with advertisers paying premium CPMs for inventory during the tripleheader. Amazon's Christmas Day game has drawn significant streaming numbers, with the platform reporting tens of millions of streams for holiday matchups in recent seasons. The NFL's Christmas Day broadcast deals are part of the league's broader media rights agreements, which total over $100 billion across multiple platforms through the 2033 season. The league's Christmas Day games are also available internationally through NFL Game Pass and partner broadcasters in Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific markets. For details on Amazon's NFL streaming deal and viewership data, see Forbes coverage of NFL media rights.
Revenue Impact and Holiday NFL Economics
NFL Christmas Day games generate significant revenue through advertising, with a single 30-second spot during a Christmas Day broadcast costing upward of $1 million depending on the game and network. The holiday tripleheader provides the NFL with premium inventory during a period when other major sports leagues are in offseasons, making NFL Christmas games a dominant draw for advertisers. The league's Christmas Day games also drive merchandise sales, streaming subscriptions, and in-stadium revenue for host teams. The NFL's Christmas Day scheduling strategy is part of a broader effort to maximize the league's annual revenue, which exceeds $20 billion in total revenue including media rights, sponsorships, and ticket sales. The financial impact of Christmas Day games extends to local economies, with host cities