FA and TNT Sports strike four-year FA Cup deal

The FA and TNT Sports have agreed a new four-year domestic broadcast deal for the Emirates FA Cup from the 2025/26 season onwards, with a commitment to air more games than ever before across both TNT Sports and free-to-air.

The new partnership between The FA and Warner Bros. Discovery, which operates TNT Sports, will include live matches from the first round, with every game from the third round (outside of 3pm kick offs) to the final to be broadcast.

Selected matches from every round will be available free-to-air, and highlights of every game will be made available. The FA said that further details of the free-to-air broadcaster will be confirmed “in due course”. The BBC and ITV currently share rights to the competition.

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.

“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 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.”

Warner Bros. Discovery UK & Ireland and WBD Sports Europe president and managing director Andrew Georgiou 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.”

In addition to the Emirates FA Cup ties, TNT Sports will also broadcast the English football season’s traditional opening fixture, the FA Community Shield, and the FA Youth Cup semi-finals and final.