The BBC and the Football Association have agreed a new four-year extension to their current deal to show live FA Cup matches through to 2025.
Starting from the 2021/22 season, the new deal will see more FA Cup matches broadcast live on the BBC than ever before, with up to 18 live games across the competition per season.
It also includes greater coverage of the early rounds, with up to six live matches from across the first and second rounds.
Alongside live coverage, the deal also ensures that match highlights and digital clip rights from the world’s most famous domestic cup competition will continue to be shown free-to-air across BBC platforms until at least the end of the 2024/25 season.
Commenting on the new deal, Barbara Slater, Director of BBC Sport, said:
“We are delighted to have secured these FA Cup rights until the 2024/25 season, ensuring the millions that tune into free-to-air TV can continue to enjoy the most famous domestic Cup competition in the world.
“This new deal now brings even more games to audiences across the country as the BBC provides top-class sport on all of our platforms. Our FA Cup coverage delivers some of the year’s biggest viewing figures, engages a key younger audience and provides memorable sporting moments that unite a nation.”
FA chief commercial and football development officer, Mark Bullingham, added:
“The Emirates FA Cup is the best and most historic domestic cup competition in the world and we are delighted to have agreed a new long-term commitment to keep it on the BBC until 2025.
“The popularity of the competition goes from strength to strength, and continues to draw some of the largest audiences in sport. Over 8.1 million tuned in for the Fifth Round tie between Chelsea and Manchester United, making it the most-watched match of the 2018/19 domestic season to date.
“The Emirates FA Cup is a competition that captures the imagination of the fans year after year and, without fail, creates incredible stories that become folklore in English football history. This is an exciting new deal and we look forward to working with the BBC for years to come.”
The FA Cup returned to BBC TV in 2014 after a six-year spell on ITV, with the corporation currently sharing live rights to the competition with BT Sport until the end of the 2020/21 season.
Great news! The #FACup is staying with the BBC until 2025!
We've agreed a new four-year deal to show live matches, highlights and clips of the greatest club knockout competition in football!
More details: https://t.co/Bf0k0Rasiv #bbcfacup pic.twitter.com/OItynhVKwA
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) March 19, 2019
