BBC & Bt Sport Extend FA Cup Rights Until 2021

12 Apr 2016 | tshego

Share on

The BBC and BT Sport have retained the rights to The FA Cup until 2021, after the broadcasters reached agreement with The Football Association (The FA) to extend the shared coverage of the competition for another three years.

The FA has confirmed the extension, which will see the cup club competition continue its coverage across the BBC and BT Sport.

On the BBC, Gary Lineker will continue to lead presentation duties with fans able to stay up to date with all the action across TV, radio and digital platforms.

BT Sport will broadcast more FA Cup matches from 2018/19, when they will show an extra live match in rounds one to five of the competition, covering up to 30 matches exclusively live each year.

From next season, fans will be able watch in Ultra HD and on the app and BT Sport will also continue as the home of FA Development football, covering England U17, U19 and U21 matches.

The new deal will also see an enhanced commitment to women’s football from both the BBC and BT. The BBC will offer live coverage of international qualifiers, the Women’s FA Cup final, plus one England Women’s friendly match per season alongside additional live matches and The FA Women’s Super League highlights.

BT Sport will remain the live broadcaster of The FA Women’s Super League and from 2018 will show both Women’s FA Cup semi-finals, the Women’s FA Cup Final and England Senior Women’s home friendlies.

Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport said: “We are delighted to retain the rights to broadcast the most famous domestic cup competition in the world on free to air TV. The renewed deal will bring audiences closer to the action than ever before via an innovative digital offering across all platforms and showcase our commitment to the women’s game. FA Cup coverage on the BBC will continue to unite the nation through must see sporting moments, captivating audiences of all ages.”

Delia Bushell, managing director, BT TV and BT Sport said: “The FA Cup is a fantastic competition which is loved the world over, and we are delighted to be extending our partnership with the FA. We will continue to support the FA with more live matches and ground-breaking Ultra HD and digital coverage. BT Sport audiences are up nearly 50% this season which demonstrates how popular our coverage has become with sports fans. We’re proud to be the only place to follow all the best football competitions: The FA Cup, Premier League, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League.”

Martin Glenn, FA chief executive, said: “The Emirates FA Cup has enjoyed record viewing figures, with 7 million alone watching Tottenham’s Third Round tie against Leicester City, outstripping all viewing figures for club matches in England this season, both domestically and in Europe. It is a competition loved not only in this country but throughout the world, as demand for broadcast rights globally highlight.”

“The competition is all about the success of the underdog and this season has seen some more fantastic stories. The money clubs win can make a hugely positive impact both on and off the pitch and we’re very proud to have distributed £25m to clubs via the prize fund and broadcast fees this season.”

“We are excited to continue this association and look forward to sharing new ideas and breaking new ground in the coming years in the world’s oldest and most loved domestic cup competition.”