The Emirates FA Cup will be exclusively live on free-to-air tv from 2021, after ITV announced a new broadcast deal to show the competition alongside the BBC.
ITV have taken the rights previously held by BT Sport and confirmed confirmation of the deal on Thursday afternoon. The new four-year deal will see the broadcaster show comprehensive coverage of the cup from the first round through to the final.
And as the senior partner in the deal, ITV will have first pick and fourth pick of matches in the second round, fourth round and the quarter-finals, as well as second and third picks for the first, third and fifth Rounds and second pick of the semi-finals.
ITV have pledged to show more than 20 matches each season from the 2021/22 campaign through to 2024/25, and will also broadcast The FA Community Shield each year.
Commenting on the deal, Niall Sloane, ITV Director of Sport, said: “We are delighted to be able to broadcast the FA Cup once again. We are particularly pleased that we shared The FA’s vision of a completely free-to-air competition and look forward to bringing new viewers all along the road to Wembley Stadium.”
While Mark Bullingham, FA Chief Commercial; Football Development Officer, said: “The Emirates FA Cup continues to capture the public’s imagination, drawing millions of viewers at every stage.
"This agreement with ITV is fantastic news and means that we will reach the broadest possible audience across the country.“ITV has been a great broadcast partner with the England Men’s Internationals and will do a brilliant job with the coverage of the world’s most historic cup competition.”
