Warner Bros. Discovery has recently announced a four-year agreement with the Football Association (FA) that will allow TNT Sports to broadcast selected matches of the men’s FA Cup, starting from the 2025/26 season.
Under this new deal, TNT Sports will showcase live matches from the First Round and every game from the Third Round outside of 3pm kick-offs. This marks a significant shift in how fans can access and enjoy these thrilling football games.
Mark Bullingham, FA chief executive, 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."
In addition to this, selected matches will be available free-to-air through an as-yet-undisclosed partner broadcaster. The details regarding who this free-to-air broadcaster will be are expected to be revealed at a later date.
FA Community Shield and FA Youth Cup are part of the deal
The broadcasting agreement also extends beyond just the FA Cup games. TNT Sports is set to air The FA Community Shield match and The FA Youth Cup Semi Finals and Final as well. These additional matches further enriches their sports programming lineup.
Fans can also watch these exciting football events via discovery+, Warner Bros.' streaming platform, providing more flexibility for viewers who prefer digital platforms.
This isn't an entirely new venture for pay-TV broadcasters when it comes to airing the prestigious tournament. Prior to this deal, BT Sport - which is now succeeded by TNT Sports - aired the competition alongside BBC from 2014/15 until 2021/22 season.
However, during those years, ITV and BBC took over broadcasting rights making it wholly free-to-air again before this recent development with Warner Bros.' Discovery's acquisition of rights through its subsidiary channel -TNT sports.
TNT Sports is now a big player in UK football broadcasting
This move signifies a win-win situation both for sports fans and betting enthusiasts alike as they get more access points to watch their favorite teams compete in one of England's most prestigious football tournaments.
Andrew Georgiou, President of Warner Bros. Discovery UK & Ireland, said:
“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.
With the advent of this new deal, fans can look forward to a more diverse and flexible viewing experience for the FA Cup matches. Whether they prefer traditional TV broadcasts or digital streaming platforms, there's something for every sports fan in this exciting new arrangement.
As we anticipate the 2025/26 season, it's clear that TNT Sports is set to become a major player in sports broadcasting with its acquisition of these significant rights.
