FAB call for greater consideration of fans in fixture scheduling
The Everton Fan Advisory Board has issued a statement urging the Premier League to place greater emphasis on the impact on ordinary supporters of the succession of weekday fixtures that the Blues have been handed this season.
With the recent scheduling of an 8pm Monday kick-off against Manchester City in May, Everton lead the top-flight in matches played on days other than Saturday or Sunday.
The game against Pep Guardiola's side will be the Toffees' seventh Monday night kick-off this season, two more than the supposed maximum per campaign. Thus far, Everton have had just three traditional 3pm Saturday matches in 2025/26.
This has placed undue burden on fans who either live outside the immediate Merseyside area or otherwise struggle to make weekday kick-offs without taking time off work or giving up on attending the game completely.
The FAB statement reads:
The decision to move yet another home fixture to a Monday evening, the seventh such change this season, is yet another signal of the disregard footballing authorities and broadcasters have for football supporters.
It has become a pattern that is placing unacceptable strain on supporters, forcing fans to absorb additional travel costs, rearrange work and family commitments, and navigate significant logistical challenges at short notice.
We fully understand the commercial realities and importance of broadcasting revenues. However, the cumulative effect of these decisions is now materially damaging supporter accessibility, matchday experience, and long-term engagement. This is happening at a time when fans are already under financial pressure due to the wider cost of living and the Club's transition to a new stadium.
We are receiving consistent feedback from match going supporters that they are being asked to carry a disproportionate share of the game's commercial burden — and that loyalty and trust is being endlessly stretched with little regard for the consequences. We will be raising the concerns of Evertonians directly with the broadcasters and the Premier League.
We have also written to the Club with a request to discuss the implications of this latest round of changes and seek its support in advocating for Everton supporters in discussions about scheduling changes, in challenging their frequency, in ensuring meaningful mitigations are provided and in acknowledging the impact these changes have on supporters.
Reader Responses
Selected thoughts from readers31/03/2026 08:33:06
I hate to let the facts get in the way of a good story, however.
'The decision to move yet another home fixture to a Monday evening, the seventh such change this season,' Actually its only the fourth such home game.
'Thus far, Everton have had just three traditional 3pm Saturday matches in 2025/26.' Sorry but we have actually had ten such games. Only three at home but ten overall.
Listen, I'm not against the sentiments of this story, but you (both Evertonia.com and the FAB) have to get your facts straight or you are going to get nowhere.
And you think we have it bad? Both Aston Villa and Notts Forest have only had one 3pm Saturday home game. Man Utd have only had two. We are really not the statistical anomaly that we are being presented as. This is just the reality of modern day football.
02/04/2026 21:10:42
Regardless of the rights or wrongs and who’s to blame, the inescapable truth is that for many supporters the experience of the first season at the new stadium has been completely ruined by the timing of the fixtures. Look at the last game v Chelsea which, although still an evening game it still began in daylight and finished at a time where people knew they could get home at a reasonable time. The atmosphere as a result was the best it has been at the new ground and the players responded accordingly. Contrast this with say the United game where we were a single goal down but supporters were getting up to leave with 10 minutes plus injury time to go when we were on top. I maintain at Goodison we would have got something out of that game and very few would have left before the final whistle. I think there will be a lot of season ticket holders who won’t be renewing for these sort of reasons. Someone somehow needs to take a stand here but I fear money talks.
05/04/2026 08:24:56
Yes Paul I agree, this season all the fixture changes and the timing of matches has reduced much of the traditional routine and pleasure of going to the game. But for me the biggest single issue is the difficulties associated with travel to and from the Stadium. Everything is sort of in place but if you need to travel to and from the City Centre it all just takes too long. I appreciate that it's not that far and for many the walk to and from the Stadium is ok. But for many we are stuck with the soccer bus which can take an age particularly on the homeward journey.
Clearly our new stadium is a magnificent addition to the City's Three Graces, but there is work to do by both the City Council and the Club to make the access easier. I fear this will not be a priority for either, but it's something I hope we continue to press for.
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30/03/2026 06:24:41
If fans keep turning up for these Monday night games then nothing will change. Fans in Germany got together to get Monday night games cancelled. Would never happen in this country.