This Week in Sport
The festive season is bringing the gift of great sport! On Monday, the Indianapolis Colts and San Francisco 49ers face off in the NFL. On Tuesday, the Boston Bruins host the Montreal Canadiens in the NHL. On Wednesday, Cameroon take on Gabon in the Africa Cup of Nations. That's followed by the NBA Christmas Day slate of games on Thursday, headlined by the Oklahoma City Thunder facing the San Antonio Spurs, and on Friday, the Ashes continue with the Fourth Test in Melbourne.
The fantastic sporting fixtures continue at the weekend. On Saturday, Chelsea host Aston Villa in the Premier League, and the PREM Rugby season continues on Sunday, as the Exeter Chiefs face the Leicester Tigers.
NFL: Indianapolis Colts v San Francisco 49ers
Monday 22nd December 1:15AM GMT (23rd)/8:15PM Local
Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
The Indianapolis Colts host the San Francisco 49ers at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, in a crucial NFL game. This is a must-win game for the short-handed Colts. A loss will knock them out of contention for the AFC South title and set them up for a potentially season-ending game against the Jacksonville Jaguars next week. Philip Rivers will start his second game at quarterback after his shocking return from retirement. Rivers looked serviceable against the Seattle Seahawks and will likely have only improved with more practices under his belt. Meanwhile, the 49ers riding a four-game win streak and having secured a Playoff spot with the Detroit Lions loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, are in a relatively good place. However, injuries have also plagued San Francisco, as evidenced by star running back Christian McCaffrey leading the team in both rushing and receiving yards. While the 49ers are marginally favoured in this one, they will be cautious not to underestimate this scrappy Colts team.
NHL: Boston Bruins v Montreal Canadiens
Tuesday 23rd December 12:00AM GMT (24th)/7:00PM Local
TD Garden, Boston
The Boston Bruins take on the Montreal Canadiens in a exciting NHL game at TD Garden in Boston. With both teams competing in the Atlantic Division, where first and last place are separated by just ten points, a win here would be significant for both teams’ Playoff aspirations. The Bruins have struggled for form in the past week, but still boast one of the best goal scorers in the league in Morgan Geekie. Meanwhile, the biggest issue plaguing the Canadiens has been the inability to win consistently for prolonged stretches of the season. While they are still firmly in the thick of the divisional race, they will need to put together some lengthy win streaks to keep pace with the likes of the Detroit Red Wings. However, it remains to be seen how far Montreal can go with just a single goalscorer with more than 15 goals this season. This should be an entertaining game.
Africa Cup of Nations: Cameroon v Gabon
Wednesday 24th December 8:00PM GMT/9:00PM Local
Grand Stade d’Agadir, Agadir
Cameroon and Gabon open their Africa Cup of Nations campaigns at the Grande Stade d’Agadir in Agadir. Five-time winners Cameroon are looking for their first title since 2017 despite off-field issues ranging from national federation strife to disputes as to who is the rightful head coach of the team. Despite this, however, the Indomitable Lions boast a talented team headlined by Manchester United’s Bryan Mbuemo. As their 2017 title showed, Cameroon is often at their best when in the midst of adversity. Meanwhile, Gabon return to AFCON after failing to qualify in 2023. This tournament likely marks the last shot at glory for the Panthers’ golden generation, which is anchored by Mario Lemina, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Denis Bouanga, and Bruno Ecuele Manga. With four of the six third-placed teams making the knockout round, this match will likely be vital in the battle for second place behind the expected group winners, the Ivory Coast. This match marks the first time these two nations have met since AFCON 2017, where they played to a goalless draw in the group stage.
NBA: Oklahoma City Thunder v San Antonio Spurs
Thursday 25th December 7:30PM GMT/1:30PM Local
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City
The Oklahoma City Thunder host the San Antonio Spurs at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City as part of the NBA’s Christmas Day slate of games. The Thunder continue to rule the Western Conference, with just three losses this season and a perfect record at home. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is once again playing like an MVP and looks set to be a face of the league for years to come. Despite losing two of their last three games, they remain far and away the best team in the NBA. Meanwhile, the scrappy young Spurs have rocketed to second in the Western Conference. Fresh off a run to the NBA Cup Final, which included dealing the Thunder their second loss of the season, the Spurs, headlined by the likes of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and De’Aaron Fox, will be eager to continue their fine form. Have the Thunder learned how to handle the Spurs? Or will San Antonio maintain some pressure on the Western Conference leaders?
The Ashes: Australia v England (4th Test) Day 1
Friday 26th December 11:30PM GMT (25th)/10:30AM Local
Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
The Ashes continue as Australia host England for the Fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Despite the hosts retaining the Ashes urn with a sweep of the first three Tests, there is plenty to play for in the remainder of the series. First and foremost, points in the World Test Championship remain up for grabs. Secondly, England will be fighting for national sporting pride as they attempt to prevent a fourth consecutive series without a victory on Australian soil, and finally, many England players will be taking the pitch with the knowledge that consideration for future Test squads may hinge on their upcoming performances. For Australia, the goal of more Test Championship points will be superseded by the prospect of running a victory lap around their long-time rivals. The Melbourne Boxing Day Test remains one of the highlights of the sporting calendar.
Premier League: Chelsea v Aston Villa
Saturday 27th December 5:30PM GMT/5:30PM Local
Stamford Bridge, London
Chelsea host Aston Villa in a thrilling Premier League match at Stamford Bridge in London. Chelsea enter this match in fourth place in the Premier League table, but having only taken six points from their last five league matches. With a huge match against fellow title chasers Manchester City just after the new year, Chelsea will be eager to stabilise their position towards the top of the table. Meanwhile, after a thrilling win against Manchester United, Aston Villa has now won ten in a row across all competitions for the first time since 1914. They are third in the Premier League, just three points behind league leaders Arsenal. Morgan Rogers, in particular, has emerged as a powerhouse for the Midlands team, nabbing a brace in each of their last two league outings. Adding to the confidence of the visitors will be their recent success at Stamford Bridge, where they have won all three points in two of their last three visits.
PREM Rugby: Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers
Sunday 28th December 3:00PM GMT/3:00PM Local
Sandy Park, Exeter
The Exeter Chiefs face the Leicester Tigers in a thrilling PREM Rugby clash at Sandy Park in Exeter. The Chiefs enter this match in second place in the table. Exeter haven't lost in the league since October 11th and look set to challenge for their first trophies since they did the historic double in 2020. The tandem of points leader Henry Slade and top-two try scorer Immanuel Feyi-Waboso has been the driving force behind the Chiefs’ recent run of success. Meanwhile, the Tigers have won four straight in the league, where they are currently fourth, and appear to be on track to match their Final appearance from last season. Leicester has dominated this matchup in recent years, winning four of the last five and their three most recent meetings. Will the white-hot Chiefs be able to find their first win since 2023?
Photo by: Exeter Chiefs
Written and information correct on 22nd December 2025 at 6AM GMT.
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