TNT Sports secures exlusive live rights to FA Cup from 2025/26
The Football Association has inked a significant four-year domestic broadcast agreement for the FA Cup with TNT Sports, set to commence from the 2025/26 season onwards.
Under the terms of the deal, TNT Sports secures exclusive live rights to all FA Cup matches from the third round onward – with the exception of games scheduled for the traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off slot.
A broadcast blackout is enforced between 2:45pm and 5:15pm, prohibiting live soccer coverage on UK television during this period.
In addition to FA Cup matches, TNT Sports will also broadcast the FA Community Shield and FA Youth Cup semi-finals and final.
This arrangement marks a shift as the majority of games in the revered tournament, hailed as the world’s oldest football knockout competition, will now be accessible behind a paywall. Currently, the tournament enjoys exclusive coverage on free-to-air television, with the BBC and ITV sharing broadcasting rights until the culmination of the upcoming season.
TNT Sports has confirmed that selected matches from each round will be available on a free-to-air basis, although specific details are yet to be disclosed. The final match must be aired on FTA television as it is included in the government’s sporting ‘crown jewels’ list of protected events.
“The Emirates FA Cup is our crown jewel, and it helps us to provide vital investment across every level of English football, supporting clubs, communities, facilities and the wider grassroots game,” said Mark Bullingham, FA chief executive.
“Every season, and across every round, the Emirates FA Cup creates incredible moments and unforgettable memories for fans, and this new partnership will see selected matches shown live on TNT Sports, as well as free-to-air, from the first round of the competition through to the final at Wembley Stadium.”
🚨 TNT Sports will be the new home of the Emirates FA Cup from 2025/26 ⚽️
Watch more games than ever before from the world’s oldest national football competition 🏆@EmiratesFACup | @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/P6EYN4fJWL
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 15, 2024
Andrew Georgiou, president and managing director of Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) UK and Ireland, and WBD Sports Europe, added, “TNT Sports is proud to partner with The FA to present more matches of the world’s most prestigious domestic cup competition than ever before alongside our great line up of the Premier League and UEFA Champions League and club competitions, bringing even more live football to our TNT Sports customers.
“The Emirates FA Cup and the incredible stories it creates every season goes well beyond football, making TNT Sports the perfect home as we continue to tell the stories that matter most to the fans. We have a huge amount of respect for the place that this world-famous competition has in the hearts of football fans and that’s why continuing to ensure we maintain a level of free-to-air coverage is important for us and the FA.”
Image credit: Dave Gunn
