FA Cup To Be Screened Free to Air from 2021

The FA have announced that from the 2021/22 season coverage of FA Cup ties will be shown on BBC and ITV, meaning that football fans will be able to watch on free to air channels.

The deal will allow ITV to show 20 matches plus the season opening Community Shield. The BBC will have the right to televise 18 matches, plus a highlights show and online clips.

The BBC will have first and fourth picks of matches in the first, third and fifth rounds as well first pick of the semi-finals, with ITV having the first and fourth picks in the second and fourth rounds plus the quarter-finals.

BT Sports therefore will lose their TV rights. The BBC recorded the highest domestic viewing figures of 8.1 millions viewers for the fifth round tie between Chelsea and Man Utd.

The first proper of the FA Cup will be played on Saturday 9th November 2019, with the final at Wembley on Saturday 23rd May 2020.