Most of the big U.S. sports leagues focus on Christmas Day, so Christmas Eve usually has a lighter schedule, but there is still some notable action, especially in football.

Main sports on Christmas Eve

  • College football
    • The standout event in 2025 is the Sheraton Hawai’i Bowl, traditionally played on Christmas Eve.
* In 2025 it features California vs. Hawai‘i at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex in Honolulu, kicking off at 8:00 p.m. ET and airing on ESPN and ESPN Radio.
  • NFL and NBA context
    • The NFL has put its holiday spotlight on a three‑game slate on Christmas Day itself, with no main-schedule NFL games listed for Christmas Eve in 2025.
* The NBA loads up December 25 with marquee matchups and, as of the current holiday setup, specifically notes that it does not schedule games on Christmas Eve, focusing instead on a five‑game Christmas Day lineup.

Other possible sports content

  • Some years may include:
    • Smaller college basketball slates or international leagues that play right up to the holiday.
* Soccer or other international competitions if they do not formally break for Christmas, though U.S. prime‑time coverage centers almost entirely on Christmas Day and the Hawai‘i Bowl on Christmas Eve.

Quick forum-style takeaway

If you’re asking “what sports are on Christmas Eve” for 2025, the Hawai‘i Bowl (California vs. Hawai‘i) is the main live game in a prime-time national TV slot, while NFL and NBA save their big schedules for Christmas Day instead.

Meta description:
Wondering what sports are on Christmas Eve? For 2025, the key live event is the Sheraton Hawai‘i Bowl (California vs. Hawai‘i), with NFL and NBA headliners reserved for Christmas Day.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.