Where to Watch the FA Cup in the USA - 2025/26 Season
The FA Cup is the oldest football knockout competition in the world, and Americans have been steadily falling in love with it - the giant killings, the non-league minnows, the Wembley tradition, the fact that literally any club in the English football pyramid can enter. Premier League heavyweights knocked out by third-tier sides, Sunday-league clubs sharing a pitch with England internationals - this tournament has no equivalent in American sports. The 2025/26 edition promises more magic, more upsets, and another unforgettable final under the Wembley arch.
Season 2025/26 - FA Cup
ESPN+ Streaming - US home of the FA Cup
ESPN+ is the place to watch the FA Cup in the United States, streaming rounds from the early stages through to the final at Wembley. The presentation is top-notch - ESPN's Premier League commentary teams cross over for cup duty, and the platform's extensive football archive means you can catch up on classic FA Cup moments between rounds. ESPN+ is bundled affordably with Disney+ and Hulu for cord-cutters who want a comprehensive sports-and-entertainment package.
FA Cup broadcasting rights in the USA
ESPN+ holds US rights for the FA Cup, covering all rounds from the first round proper through to the Wembley final. The deal integrates neatly with ESPN's broader English football portfolio - if you already subscribe for Premier League or Champions League coverage via other ESPN properties, the FA Cup is a natural addition. Most matches air on weekend afternoons Eastern time, making them family-friendly viewing with no need for a midnight alarm.
The FA Cup's format is uniquely democratic: over 700 clubs enter in the early qualifying rounds, and the magic of the cup lives in the possibility that a part-time team from the eighth tier can one day face Manchester City. Historically, the competition has produced some of the most memorable upsets in football history - Wimbledon's 1988 defeat of Liverpool, Bradford City's 2015 run, and Wigan Athletic's back-to-back giant-killing campaigns. For American fans still learning the depth of English football, the FA Cup is the perfect tutorial on what makes the sport so compelling.
In the UK the FA Cup is broadcast free-to-air on BBC and ITV, which speaks to its cultural status as a national institution. American fans get the same competition on ESPN+ at a modest streaming price. The 2025/26 season runs from November 2025 through the final in late May 2026, giving US viewers six months of weekend football magic to look forward to - bookmarked alongside the Premier League and Champions League as essential Saturday viewing.
