November 26, 2024

TNT Sports agree four-year deal to show FA Cup from 2025-26

FA Cup #FACup

TNT Sports has agreed a four-year deal with the Football Association to broadcast the FA Cup from the 2025-26 season.

TNT will share rights with a free-to-air broadcaster, whose identity will be announced at a later date. ITV and the BBC currently share rights to show the competition.

It is expected a minimum of two matches per round – including both semi-finals – will be made available free-to-air, while the final is a Group A listed event that must be offered to free-to-air broadcasters. TNT is promising to show more games live than ever before, with every match from the third round onwards, aside from 3pm kick-offs on Saturdays, available to watch.

The deal is likely to have delivered a significant uplift in the value of the rights, and FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: “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.

“TNT Sports are an outstanding broadcaster with an impressive record of showing some of the biggest and best sporting events around the world, so we are delighted to be working with them on our shared commitment and long-term vision that will ensure the Emirates FA Cup continues to thrive over the coming years.”

TNT will also broadcast the FA Community Shield and the FA Youth Cup semi-finals and final, but the deal does not include the women’s FA Cup. There is a broad expectation replays may well be off the calendar by 2025-26 as part of the much-anticipated ‘New Deal For Football’, which will see the domestic game come to terms with the impact of UEFA’s expanded club competitions coming into effect next season.

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