Wolves vs Chelsea in line to become Premier League's first ...

A lunchtime kick-off between Wolves and Chelsea is in line to become the first Premier League match since 1995 to be played on Christmas Eve, Telegraph Sport understands.

However, England’s top tier has abandoned plans to announce the new fixture on Friday as it is still finalising its festive schedule.

Proposals to move the first match to Dec 24 in 28 years were raised this week, but sources say the Molineux match is now likely to be the only one moved to that date this year.

However, the potentially contentious announcement has been delayed, with authorities still finalising plans. Instead, fans will only have early December TV picks confirmed later this afternoon.

Scheduling plans and kick-off times are amended regularly due to demands from broadcasters, local authorities and other competition commitments. However, the prospect of moving games to Christmas Eve is likely to prove a particularly controversial announcement for travelling Chelsea fans.

December 24 matches were previously discussed in 2017, but then shelved amid pressure from MPs and fan groups expressing concern over potential travel chaos.

With Christmas Eve falling on a Sunday, it was naturally going to become a particularly appealing day for broadcasters to target. However, one source played down suggestions the Wolves game rescheduling was due to TV demands.

Other insiders have also raised the prospect of some December 30 games being moved to New Year’s Eve, which could also present some travel difficulties. The only match in the modern incarnation of the Premier League played on Christmas Eve has been Leeds United’s 3-1 victory over Manchester United in 1995. That game is best remembered for a Tony Yeboah solo effort at Elland Road.

Sources close to the Premier League, however, say decisions on scheduling are still being finalised. The league declined to comment on whether festive matches are likely to be moved. “Nothing is final until final,” said one insider aware of discussions. “Not all changes are just for broadcast - some are for local authority and some might be for other competitions.”

Last year, the Christmas schedule was affected by the World Cup in Doha, with the Premier League resuming on Boxing Day to calm concerns around player burnout.

In 2017, the Premier League faced a backlash after it emerged there were plans to broadcast matches on Christmas Eve, which also then fell on a Sunday.

However, when Sky and BT Sport announced their picks, the day had been kept clear, with then Premier League executive chairman Richard Scudamore praising their “flexibility”.