The BBC and BT Sport have announced which FA Cup Semi Finals they will be televising live from Wembley Stadium over the weekend of April 18-19 as the four remaining sides aim for a place in May’s showpiece final.
FA Cup holders Arsenal will kick off this season’s semi-final weekend at Wembley when they face Reading from the Championship on Saturday, April 18, with the tie to be broadcast live on BBC One, kicking off at 5.20pm.
Danny Welbeck scored the winner as Arsenal beat Manchester United 2-1 in the sixth round at Old Trafford to cement a semi-final return to Wembley for Arsene Wenger’s side.
Reading clinched their first FA Cup semi-final place since 1927 when they beat Bradford City 3-0 at the Madejski Stadium, while Arsenal are aiming to lift the trophy for a record 12th time.
However, the match will take place on the same day as six Premier League fixtures, including Chelsea’s clash against Manchester United, which kicks-off at 5.30pm and will be televised by Sky Sports.
On Sunday, April 19, Aston Villa will take on either Liverpool or Blackburn Rovers, also at Wembley Stadium, live on BT Sport, kicking off at 3.00pm.
Villa have won the FA Cup on seven occasions and played in the very last final at old Wembley in 2000 when they were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea.
Blackburn Rovers and Liverpool will contest their Sixth Round replay at Ewood Park on Wednesday, April 8, a match which will also be broadcast live by BT Sport.
BBC Sport returned to covering the FA Cup this season after a six-year absence, sharing live coverage for the next four seasons with BT Sport, running through to the 2017-18 season, after the two broadcasters secured a multi-million pound rights deal in the summer of 2013, with the BBC taking over free-to-air rights from ITV.
The BBC broadcast the first pick of matches from the first and second rounds, while BT Sport screened at least two live matches during the opening two rounds, as well as replays if required.
From rounds three to six, BBC TV showed the first pick games and BT Sport the second choice, plus a selection of two other matches from rounds 3-5, with the third and fourth picks alternating between the two broadcasters each round, while both shared two quarter-final matches each.
The first pick of the replays during this phase of the competition will alternate between the BBC and BT, with the BBC screening one match while BT had the option of screening at least two other games.
The BBC has first pick of the semi-finals with the other being screened by BT Sport, with both channels sharing live coverage of the 2015 FA Cup Final at Wembley on Saturday, May 30, 2015.
Follow all the excitement of the FA Cup live on the BBC and BT Sport from now through to the showpiece final at Wembley Stadium.
For more information about this season’s FA Cup, visit www.thefa.com/thefacup.
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| SATURDAY 18th APRIL |
| Reading v Arsenal Semi Final | 17:20 |
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| SUNDAY 19th APRIL |
| Aston Villa v Liverpool or Blackburn Semi Final | 15:00 |
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