SATURDAY MARCH 29
12.15PM FULHAM V CRYSTAL PALACE FA CUP (ITV 1)
5.15PM BRIGHTON V NOTTINGHAM FOREST FA CUP (BBC ONE)
SUNDAY MARCH 30
1.30PM PRESTON V ASTON VILLA FA CUP (BBC ONE)
4.30PM BOURNEMOUTH V MAN CITY FA CUP (ITV 1)
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 28
8PM ASTON VILLA V CARDIFF FA CUP (ITV1)
SATURDAY MARCH 1
12.15PM CRYSTAL PALACE V MILLWALL FA CUP (BBC ONE)
12.15PM PRESTON V BURNLEY FA CUP (BBC IPLAYER)
5.45PM MAN CITY V PLYMOUTH FA CUP (ITV 4)
SUNDAY MARCH 2
1.45PM NEWCASTLE V BRIGHTON FA CUP (ITV 1)
4.30PM MAN UNITED V FULHAM FA CUP (BBC ONE)
MONDAY MARCH 3
7.30PM NOTTINGHAM FOREST V IPSWICH FA CUP (ITV 4)
FA CUP ON TV FROM NEXT SEASON
There are big changes coming to FA Cup coverage next season. TNT Sports has agreed an exclusive deal with the Football Association which will see more games shown on TV than ever before – TNT has pledged to screen every game outside the 3pm Saturday ‘blackout’ period. However, the BBC has struck an agreement with TNT to show 14 matches each season – two games from each round through to the quarter-finals as well as showing one semi-final and the final. The BBC games will also be on TNT. The final has to be made free-to-air under UK broadcast legislation as one of sport’s “protected” events.
ITV – who currently share the rights with the BBC – will have no FA Cup games from next season.
FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7
8PM MAN UNITED V LEICESTER FA CUP (ITV 1)
SATURDAY FEBRUARY 8
12.15PM LEYTON ORIENT V MAN CITY FA CUP (BBC ONE)
5.45PM BIRMINGHAM V NEWCASTLE FA CUP (BBC ONE)
8PM BRIGHTON V CHELSEA FA CUP (ITV4)
SUNDAY FEBRUARY 9
12.30PM BLACKBURN V WOLVES FA CUP (BBC IPLAYER)
3PM PLYMOUTH V LIVERPOOL FA CUP (ITV 1)
5.35PM ASTON VILLA V SPURS FA CUP (BBC ONE)
MONDAY FEBRUARY 11
8PM DONCASTER ROVERS V CRYSTAL PALACE FA CUP (BBC IPLAYER)
TUESDAY FEBRUARY 11
8PM EXETER V NOTTINGHAM FOREST (FA CUP) ITV 1
FA CUP ON TV FROM NEXT SEASON
There are big changes coming to FA Cup coverage next season. TNT Sports has agreed an exclusive deal with the Football Association which will see more games shown on TV than ever before – TNT has pledged to screen every game outside the 3pm Saturday ‘blackout’ period. However, the BBC has struck an agreement with TNT to show 14 matches each season – two games from each round through to the quarter-finals as well as showing one semi-final and the final. The BBC games will also be on TNT. The final has to be made free-to-air under UK broadcast legislation as one of sport’s “protected” events.
ITV – who currently share the rights with the BBC – will have no FA Cup games from next season.
WEDNESDAY JANUARY 8
8PM SPURS V LIVERPOOL CARABAO CUP (SKY SPORTS FOOTBALL/MAIN EVENT)
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 5
8PM NEWCASTLE V ARSENAL CARABAO CUP (SKY SPORTS FOOTBALL/MAIN EVENT)
THURSDAY FEBRUARY 6
8PM LIVERPOOL V SPURS CARABAO CUP (SKY SPORTS FOOTBALL/MAIN EVENT & ITV 1)
ITV will show three live Carabao Cup games – including the final – and five EFL games for the remainder of the season as part of a deal struck with Sky Sports.
All four semi-final two-legged ties will be shown on Sky, but ITV will also screen the first leg of Arsenal v Newcastle on Tuesday January 7 and the second leg of Liverpool v Spurs on Thursday February 6.
ITV is set to simulcast the first of five Championship or EFL games in January too.
Sky remains the main home of the EFL and Carabao Cup with a record-breaking 1,000-plus matches being shown this season as part a five-year deal. But it has decided to sub-let a limited number of games to ITV for this season and next.
Next season ITV will show at least nine Carabao Cup ties and ten matches from the Championship. ITV has the option of swapping its Championship games for League One or League Two matches.
ITV are expected to provide their own pre- and after-match coverage, but it’s not yet clear whether it will just simulcast Sky’s live match coverage. All the ITV games will be broadcast on Sky.
Sky’s new deal this season has seen multiple kick-off times and more games being moved to protect the 3pm Saturday black-out period.
Sky’s coverage has divided opinions among fans with some supporters welcoming the huge choice of games, especially full midweek rounds being available. Others have bemoaned the more regular switching of kick-off times including more Saturday 12.30pm, Sunday 3pm and Monday and Thursday 8pm games. Some viewers have also complained about technical issues when multiple games are screened on Sky.
ITV’s addition of EFL competitions is a boost to its football portfolio having lost its FA Cup rights which expire at the end of this season.
The broadcaster will be been bolstered in 2025 by the return of England’s Nations League, World Cup and Euro qualifiers after ITV wrestled back those rights from Channel 4.
ITV already has a deal in place to show EFL and Carabao Cup highlights.