The 2023 FA Cup Final is hosting an unprecedented first, with it being the only time in the competition’s rich history that both the red and blue sides of Manchester go head-to-head.
Erik ten-Hag’s Manchester United take on Pep Guardiola’s treble-chasing Manchester City. Bragging rights are at stake, as well as a slice of history, and with Manchester City favourites to overcome their arch-rivals, the questions of when, where, and how you can watch the eagerly awaited cup tie are answered below.
What date is the FA Cup final?
The FA Cup final is set to be played on Saturday 6th June 2023, at Wembley Stadium. Due to the winter World Cup in Qatar and the mid-season break that ran concurrently, the Football Association decided to stage the competition’s inaugural finale in June rather than May. However, despite the delayed final date, this season’s FA Cup decider complies with tradition and is in keeping with it historically being the last game of the season.
What time is kick-off?
With the hotly-anticipated fixture returning to the kick-off time of 3pm (BST) for the first time since 2011, fans of both clubs may feel slightly aggrieved that their time in a North-West London beer garden is being cut short. As both sides of Manchester descend on the home of English football, exchanging their lukewarm, overpriced pints of lager for equally warm, extortionately-priced Wembley cans may not be as painful as it first seems.
For the vast majority who won’t be in attendance, and will be in pubs, bars, and living rooms – make sure to be plonked in front of a television, phone or laptop prior to the 3pm start time.
Are there tickets available?
Unfortunately, for those still looking for tickets, official announcements from both Manchester City and Manchester United indicated that they had both sold out of their allotted allocation.
What channel is the game being shown on in the UK?
The FA Cup final is one of the few major cup finals that is available on free-to-air channels. Like that of the World Cup and European Championship finals, the game will be screened on both BBC One and ITV One, with the main terrestrial channels embarking on a derby of their own.
The viewer is then left with a democratic choice and must decide whether they want to listen to Sam Matterface on ITV and spend the full 90 nostalgically recollecting the glory days of Clive Tyldesley, or watch the Roy Keane-less Micah Richards breaking out in fits of laughter every five minutes on the BBC. BBC One and ITV One will be commencing pre-game coverage at 1.50pm and 2.05pm respectively.
How to live stream the FA Cup final in the UK
If there is any reason you can’t be sat in front of a TV by 3 pm, worry not! Whether you’re at a wedding, baptism, bar mitzvah, your kid’s birthday party, or a funeral, BBC iPlayer and ITVX both have you covered. So, if it means nipping off to catch the second half in the toilet, or perching your phone conveniently in your hymn book to catch some of the game, then so be it – with it expected to be an enthralling encounter.
If you are a viewer in the UK, you MUST be the owner of a TV licence to watch content on BBC iPlayer legally.
Manchester City Team News
Saturday’s game at Wembley will be the second time the Sky Blues will play in West London in a matter of just six days, following their 1-0 defeat to Brentford on the final day of the season. Guardiola’s cityzens go into the tie well-rested, with a bunch of first-team regulars sitting out Sunday’s game at the GTech Community Stadium.
With the return dates of City quartet Jack Grealish, Kevin De Bruyne, Manuel Akanji, and Rúben Dias still unknown after they were missing from the squad for the Premier League Champions’ final game due to injury, Pep Guardiola could be without some talismanic figures, although the City boss will be expected to keep his cards close to his chest. As City’s date with destiny in Istanbul swiftly approaches, will Guardiola decide to throw caution to the wind and risk some of his stars?
Predicted Man City XI: Ederson, Kyle Walker, Aymeric Laporte, Nathan Ake, John Stones, Rodri, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish, Erling Haaland.
Manchester United Team News
Despite rumours of a contract extension being touted around Old Trafford, theoretically, this could be David De Gea’s final game sporting the colours of Manchester United, with his contract expiring at the end of the month. Following the Red Devils’ 2-1 win over Fulham last weekend, ten-Hag’s side are almost at full strength, with the exception of Lisandro Martinez, who is expected to miss the final along with Antony and Antony Martial.
Predicted Man Utd XI: David De Gea, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, Luke Shaw, Casemiro, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Jadon Sancho, Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford.