End of uncertainty over free-to-air coverage from the 2025-26 season, as the BBC reaches deal with TNT Sports.
- TNT Sports deal means from 2025-26, most FA Cup games will go behind a paywall.
- The BBC currently shares coverage with ITV; this arrangement ends in May 2025.
- BBC-TNT Sports deal satisfies legal requirement that the FA Cup Final must be shown on free-to-air television.
A deal struck with TNT Sports in February heralded the end of full free-to-air coverage of the FA Cup. Three months later, the FA confirms viewers will still be able to access free coverage via the BBC.
BBC Sport, under a new partnership with TNT Sports, has secured free-to-air live coverage of 14 games per season co-exclusively with TNT Sports. The deal runs from the 2025-26 season until and including the May 2029 FA Cup Final.
The BBC will show two live matches from each round through to the quarter-finals, one semi-final and then the final.
In accordance with UK broadcasting rules, the FA Cup Final must be screened free-to-air. However, there’s no restrictions on other games during the season.
The deal also allows the BBC to screen highlights and offer clips on its online platforms.
The majority of FA Cup games will then be shown on TNT Sports in the UK. Subscribers will be able to watch live on traditional pay TV platforms including Sky, Virgin Media and EE TV, as well as on Discovery+ and its planned successor streaming service Max.
One more year of the status quo
Until next year however, nothing changes. For the coming football season, both BBC and ITV will once again divide the games between themselves. And reminiscent of the 70s and 80s, both BBC One and ITV1 will show the FA Cup Final.
Corporate comment
Interim Director of BBC Sport, Philip Bernie, commented:
“The BBC has a proud history of bringing fans across the nation together for all the magic and drama of the FA Cup. This partnership for the next four years is brilliant news and, alongside our recent Premier League extension and UEFA Champions League highlights coming this year, means that BBC Sport will deliver fans top class analysis, commentary and coverage of the biggest football competitions free to air and accessible for all.”
Trojan Paillot, SVP Sports Rights Acquisitions and Syndication WBD Sports Europe, said:
“TNT Sports will broadcast every single game outside of 3pm kick-offs, starting from the first round, ensuring fans can watch more of the Emirates FA Cup than ever before all in one place. Our ambition is to make more of the live Emirates FA Cup action available to fans than ever before, so the BBC are an outstanding partner to ensure that alongside more games we also make the competition as widely available as possible.”
By: Marc Thornham | Image: FA