Archived Match
This match took place on 26 December 2025.
See commentator listings for today's matches.
See commentator listings for today's matches.
Who’s Commentating and How to Listen: BBC Around the Grounds on BBC Radio 5 Live (Boxing Day, 26 December 2025) BBC Radio 5 Live’s long-running matchday strand Around the Grounds will carry live audio coverage and reaction from the English Football League programme on Boxing Day (26 December 2025) at 15:00 UK time, with Aaron Paul presenting on BBC Radio 5 Live, the BBC Sounds app and BBC Sport Online (Audio). BBC channels — including BBC Radio 5 Live and the BBC Sounds platform — are the primary way UK listeners will tune in for presenter-led live updates, interviews and rolling commentary around the grounds on this traditional fixture day[5][6]. Boxing Day is one of the biggest dates in the English football calendar and the BBC’s audio output is typically geared to summarise the day’s Championship and League One/Two action as well as the wider EFL storylines; for 2025 the BBC’s Around the Grounds slot at 15:00 will be fronted by Aaron Paul, who will present across BBC Radio 5 Live, the BBC Sounds app and BBC Sport Online (Audio) to reach listeners on radio, mobile and the web[5][6]. What to expect from the 15:00 Around the Grounds programme - Live updates and short-form commentary from multiple EFL matches as they kick off around the 15:00 slot, with reporters and commentators at selected grounds feeding live scores, goal reaction and managerial quotes into the studio.[5][6] - Post-goal reaction, injury updates and tactical snapshots, designed for listeners who want a continuous picture of how fixtures across the Championship and lower tiers are unfolding.[5][6] - Interviews and insight from pundits and local correspondents — the BBC typically supplements its presenting team with experienced match reporters and ex-professionals to explain the key moments and context from each match[5][6]. About the presenter: Aaron Paul Aaron Paul is listed as the presenter for the 15:00 Boxing Day edition of Around the Grounds on BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and BBC Sport Online (Audio). The BBC uses a mix of experienced radio presenters and former professional players across its football output; as presenter, Aaron Paul will be responsible for linking between live reports, conducting interviews and steering the programme’s tempo across all three audio platforms[5][6]. How to listen (platform-by-platform) - BBC Radio 5 Live (FM/AM/DAB): Tune to BBC Radio 5 Live on traditional radio to hear the live studio presentation and on-the-ground reports for the 15:00 programme[5]. - BBC Sounds app: Open the BBC Sounds app on mobile or tablet and select Live Radio → BBC Radio 5 Live, or search for Around the Grounds to stream the programme live and access on-demand highlights after broadcast[5]. - BBC Sport Online (Audio): The BBC Sport website’s audio player will carry the same presenter-led coverage and may host clips and short highlights from the 15:00 Around the Grounds show[5]. Why Boxing Day matters and the EFL context Boxing Day fixtures are a cornerstone of the English domestic season and usually feature a full programme across the EFL and Premier League; broadcasters tailor coverage to fit the busiest schedule of the festive period[6]. For 2025/26 the wider domestic calendar has a heavy mid-December and Boxing Day cluster of fixtures, making the BBC’s rolling audio coverage particularly useful for listeners who want parallel updates rather than following a single live match feed[1][2][6]. Pundits, commentators and reporters you might hear The BBC’s Around the Grounds format often mixes a central presenter with a roster of experienced reporters, BBC commentators and guest pundits — commonly ex-professionals or managers — who provide match analysis and locker-room reaction. While the 15:00 Boxing Day show lists Aaron Paul as presenter, expect a rotation of regional correspondents and occasional studio pundits to contribute during the programme[5][6]. - Typical BBC contributors: the BBC historically deploys established sports correspondents and former players to its football shows; examples of this approach can be seen in the BBC’s broader football coverage where established names from both journalism and ex-pro circles appear alongside the presenter to explain results and narratives from matchday fixtures[5][6]. Notes on rights, scheduling and alternative coverage - BBC Radio’s Around the Grounds is an audio-focused complement to TV coverage; televised rights for top-tier fixtures are held by Sky Sports, TNT Sports and other commercial broadcasters, which shape which matches appear on free-to-air TV over the festive period[1][4]. - If you prefer full-match commentary for a specific game, check the rights holders for that fixture (Sky Sports, TNT Sports or other broadcasters) as they will usually supply full live television commentary and their own audio feeds for subscribers[1][4]. Quick guide: tuning checklist for 26 Dec 2025, 15:00 UK time - Have BBC Radio 5 Live tuned on your DAB/FM device or via the BBC Sounds app[5]. - If using mobile, open BBC Sounds and either join the live BBC Radio 5 Live stream or search for Around the Grounds to find the scheduled 15:00 programme[5]. - For web listeners, use the BBC Sport Online audio player to stream the programme live and to access clips post-broadcast[5]. Further reading and background - For the full 2025/26 fixture schedule (useful to see which matches fall on Boxing Day and the surrounding days), see the Premier League fixtures release details and calendar[1]. - For an overview of where major Premier League broadcast rights sit (helpful if you want full-match TV commentary rather than the BBC’s rolling audio), consult major UK broadcasters’ schedules and rights summaries[4]. - To check live scores and match-by-match kick-off times across the football pyramid on Boxing Day, services such as LiveScore and Soccerbase maintain up-to-date fixtures and result feeds[7][8]. (Article produced for UK readers: BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and BBC Sport Online are the principal BBC audio outlets for matchday coverage on Boxing Day, with Aaron Paul presenting the 15:00 Around the Grounds programme on 26 December 2025)[5][6][1]. p