Dundee United will feature in two live televised William Hill Premiership fixtures over the festive period, as confirmed by the club's official website this week. The Terrors' home clash with Celtic and the New Year derby away to Dundee have both been picked for broadcast.
This announcement comes as United sit second in the Premiership table, having taken six points from their opening three matches. Their recent form reads WWL, with four goals scored and just one conceded, giving them a healthy +3 goal difference. Liam Rose is the team's top scorer so far this season with one goal in three appearances. The side's immediate focus is a home match against Hibernian on 30 August, a game you can find on our fixtures page.
When are the televised festive fixtures?
The first of the two selected matches sees Celtic visit The CalForth Construction Arena at Tannadice Park on Wednesday, 30 December 2026. That William Hill Premiership fixture will kick off at 7:45 PM and be broadcast live on Premier Sports. Just three days later, United travel across the city to face rivals Dundee at Dens Park on Saturday, 2 January 2027. This New Year derby has a 12:30 PM start time and will be shown live on Sky Sports.
Full ticket details for both of these high-profile matches were to be confirmed at a later date, according to the Dundee United Football Club announcement. The club advised supporters to monitor official channels for further updates regarding attendance and sales procedures.
What does this mean for the fixture schedule?
The television selections create a demanding but exciting festive schedule for Jim Goodwin's squad. Playing two major rivals in quick succession, with both matches under the intense scrutiny of live national broadcast, will test the team's depth and resilience. The timing also means altered kick-off times for fans planning to attend, with the Celtic match moving to a weekday evening slot.
These games are pivotal moments in the season's narrative. You can track how the results affect the league picture on our standings page. The team's current strong defensive record, conceding only once in three games, will face its sternest examination against the champions and their local rivals.
How does the squad look ahead of this run?
United's early-season form provides a solid platform. The contribution across the squad is evident, with Liam Rose leading the scoring but goals coming from different sources. Maintaining fitness and avoiding suspensions through the busy period will be important for manager Jim Goodwin.
The current squad list, available on our squad page, shows a balanced group. Integrating any potential new signings before the winter window closes could add another layer of intrigue to these televised clashes. For now, the focus remains on the immediate challenge of Hibernian before the longer-term planning for the festive spotlight begins.
