Manchester United will face Fulham in the Premier League at an unusual 7pm kick-off on Sunday.
Typically, the last Sunday fixture starts at 4:30pm, a time slot filled by Aston Villa vs. West Ham this week.
However, United and Fulham’s game was pushed to the later time due to scheduling adjustments.
TNT Sports selected the fixture for its broadcast coverage, initially planning it for Saturday at 12:30pm.
However, with United playing in the Europa League on Thursday night and securing a 2-1 win over Rangers, that timing was deemed too soon.
A 12:30pm Sunday alternative was considered but dismissed, as Premier League clubs require a minimum 72-hour recovery period for players. This led to the match being rescheduled for 7pm.
The 7pm Sunday slot has been used increasingly in similar situations. Last month, Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over Brentford and Tottenham’s 5-0 win against Southampton were both played at this time. Despite this, the timing has drawn widespread criticism from fans.
The Football Supporters’ Association (FSA) expressed its dissatisfaction with Sunday evening games. “The Sunday evening kick-off slot is really unpopular with match-goers as public transport options are limited, and it’s no good for families with young kids,” an FSA spokesperson said.
They also criticized the Premier League for prioritizing broadcasters. “When the slot was introduced, it was described as a ‘contingency,’ yet it’s being used frequently.
Broadcasters often select ‘conditional’ fixtures that are rescheduled when teams progress in Europe. This puts broadcasters’ interests ahead of fans,” the spokesperson added.
The growing reliance on late Sunday kick-offs reflects ongoing tensions between fans’ convenience and the demands of broadcasters, with pressure mounting on the Premier League to rethink its scheduling practices.