Where to Watch the FA Cup in the UK - 2025/26 Season
The FA Cup is England's greatest footballing institution - 150 years old, open to every club in the pyramid, and still capable of producing moments that stop the nation. From Wimbledon's 1988 Crazy Gang defeating Liverpool, to Wigan's back-to-back giant-killings of Premier League giants, to non-league sides drawing top-flight opposition in front of a full house, the FA Cup magic is real and it never gets old. Best of all, it remains free to watch - the BBC and ITV share rights, meaning you can follow every round from your sofa without spending a penny.
Season 2025/26 - FA Cup
BBC TV - Free-to-air FA Cup coverage
The BBC has broadcast the FA Cup since the competition's earliest television era, and the partnership remains one of British sport's most cherished traditions. BBC One and BBC Two carry live matches throughout the season, with Match of the Day-style extended highlights programmes and the full production of the Wembley final. BBC iPlayer streams everything live and on demand - free, no subscription, no login required.
ITV TV - Free-to-air FA Cup coverage
ITV shares FA Cup broadcasting rights with the BBC, covering selected rounds including early-stage matches where the giant-killing romance begins. ITVX streams all ITV FA Cup coverage live and on demand, completely free with a simple account registration. ITV's football presentation brings sharp punditry and the kind of accessible, event-television feel that suits the FA Cup's broad national audience perfectly.
LiveTV Online
Free live sports streaming - watch matches online from anywhere in the world. Community-driven platform with multiple stream sources for every major sporting event.
FA Cup broadcasting rights in the UK
The FA Cup is one of the last major football competitions in the UK to remain predominantly free-to-air, a fact that speaks to its unique cultural status. The BBC and ITV share rights across the competition, with the BBC traditionally holding the Wembley final and the early rounds distributed between both broadcasters. For the 2025/26 season, both iPlayer and ITVX provide free live streaming, ensuring no UK viewer needs a paid subscription to follow the full journey from the First Round to the final.
The FA Cup runs from November through May, with the Third Round in January traditionally marking the moment the Premier League giants enter and the giant-killing drama truly begins. Weekend afternoons are the primary broadcast window, with some midweek replays (where applicable under current rules) adding extra scheduling flexibility. The semi-finals and final are held at Wembley Stadium, capacity 90,000, and the occasion carries a weight that few domestic cup finals anywhere in the world can match.
English football history is inseparable from the FA Cup: Arsenal's 14 titles, Manchester United's 12, Chelsea and Tottenham's eight apiece. But the competition's soul lives in the upsets - Coventry's 1987 win, Portsmouth's 2008 shock, Wigan's 2013 triumph over City just days before relegation. The 2025/26 edition will produce its own chapter of that story, and thanks to the BBC and ITV's free-to-air commitment, every supporter in the country will be able to watch it unfold.
