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United Kingdom: “Boxing day”, a public holiday which is also a great football day
United Kingdom: “Boxing day”, a public holiday which is also a great football day – (France 2)
Journalist Inès Hirigoyen is present on the set of 8 Heures, Tuesday December 26, on the occasion of “Boxing day”. In addition to being a public holiday in certain Anglo-Saxon countries, December 26 is one of the great days of the Premier League, the English football championship.
Despite the Christmas holidays, sports competitions continue on Tuesday December 26. “We call it ‘Boxing Day’. It’s not only a public holiday in certain Anglo-Saxon countries, it’s also a big day of celebration for world sport”, indicates journalist Inès Hirigoyen, present on the set of 8 Heures. The United Kingdom is the originator of this tradition. The first Boxing Day match took place in 1860. It was between the football clubs Sheffield FC and Hallam FC.
A concept adopted by French rugby
December 26 is, every year in the Premier League, one of the most beautiful days in the English football championship. “Normally, these meetings are between teams who are quite close geographically, even if from time to time, this is a little less true today”, explains Inès Hirigoyen. On the French side, the National Rugby League adopted the concept of “Boxing day” in 2009. The matches extend between the two New Year’s Eves. However, there is no match on December 26 in the Top 14.
