The FA have confirmed their new broadcast deal for the FA Cup - and it excludes one free-to-air broadcaster completely.
It was previously announced that TNT Sports had agreed a four-year deal to broadcast the FA Cup from the start of the 2025/26 season.
The FA stated that 'selected matches from every round' would be available free-to-air as part of the new deal, as well as highlights from each game - although the identity of the free-to-air broadcaster had yet to be agreed at that point.
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Now, it has been announced that BBC have won the rights to show free-to-air FA Cup matches, including the final during each season of the deal.
They will show 14 matches in total each season, with those matches also to be broadcast simultaneously by TNT.
Two matches from each round will be televised by the BBC - except for the semi-finals, where only one match will be shown live.
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However, ITV will not be involved with the FA Cup during the four-year deal, as the agreement between the FA, TNT and BBC means they have lost the rights to show the cup competition.
ITV's relationship with the FA Cup dates back as far as 1956, when they showed live coverage of the second half of a third round replay between Bedford Town and Arsenal.
Although there have been periods of time since then when the broadcaster did not show FA Cup matches, it did sign a deal with the FA and BBC in 2021 that would see the competition shown entirely free-to-air for the first time since 1988.
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Speaking about the new agreed broadcast deal, FA chief executive Mark Buckingham said: "We are delighted that BBC will continue as one of our Emirates FA Cup broadcast partners, under this new deal with TNT Sports.
"It was always our intention to ensure that this very special competition would be accessible for everyone.
"This new broadcast partnership will enable fans to see more of its matches live than ever before from the start of the 2025/26 season, across both TNT Sports and free-to-air on the BBC."
Featured Image Credit: Getty
Ryan Smart