FA Cup final 2025 TV: what time does coverage start and is it free-to-watch? Explained

• It is almost time for the FA Cup final.
• Manchester City will face Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium.
• But how can you watch the action at home?

The magic of the FA Cup is almost over for another season. After rounds of upsets and surprises, shocks and disappointments, it is nearly time for the final at Wembley Stadium.

Manchester City will take on Crystal Palace at the home of English football. If you didn’t manage to get tickets, the TV plans for the match have been confirmed.

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Palace are looking to win the competition for the first time in club history - having been runners up on two occasions. City could win it for an eighth time and first since they did the treble back in 2022-23.

But how can you watch the FA Cup final - and is it free-to-watch? Here’s all you need to know:

What time is the FA Cup final on TV?

The match is due to kick-off at 4.30pm at Wembley Stadium but TV coverage will begin before that. The build-up will be live from 3pm and 3.25pm depending on your channel of choice.

Both broadcasters will be covering the full match up-to-and-including penalties, if that is needed to decide things. It means viewers will not have to worry about changing over channels.

Which channel is the FA Cup final on?

ITV and BBC have split coverage of the competition throughout the 2024/25 season and the same will be true for the final. Both broadcasters will be covering the final and have their own plans for the match.

For those wanting to watch on the BBC - it will be live on BBC One and also iPlayer. Coverage starts at 3.25pm and is due to finish at approximately 7.10pm.

If you prefer ITV’s coverage, it will be live from 3pm on ITV1 and ITVX. It will run until 7.25pm, according to the schedule.

Is it free to watch in the UK?

The final of the FA Cup is on free-to-watch TV in the UK - with both BBC and ITV carrying coverage of the game. Unlike previous years it is not on TNT Sports (formerly BT Sports) and so is not behind a paywall.

A TV licence is still required to watch live television in the UK. Find out more about the rules here.

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