BBC signs new agreement with FA Cup

BBC presenter Dan Walker met with Chelsea captain Gary Cahill at the 2018 Emirates Cup final

The Football Association and the BBC have agreed on a new four-year broadcasting agreement to present the Emirates Cup in 2025.

The new agreement will begin at the beginning of the 2021-22 season.

Today's announcement will be dedicated to live coverage of games, highlights and stadiums each season of the world's most famous national cup competition, broadcast for free on BBC platforms until 2025.

The new deal will feature more UAE FA Cup matches than ever before on the BBC – with up to 18 live games across the competition per season. It also includes better coverage of the first rounds – with up to six live matches of the first and second rounds.

Mark Bullingham, head of commercial and football development at the FA, said: "The Emirates Cup is the most historic and most historic competition in the world – and we are delighted to have agreed on a new commitment in the long run to keep it on the BBC. until 2025.

"The popularity of the competition continues to grow and continues to attract the biggest audiences of the sport.

"More than 8.1 million players watched the first leg of Chelsea's fifth round against Manchester United, making it the most watched match of the 2018-19 national season to date.

"Emirates FA Cup is a competition that captures the imagination of fans, year after year, and undoubtedly creates incredible stories that become a folklore in the history of English football.

"This is an exciting new contract and we look forward to working with the BBC for years to come."

Barbara Slater, director of BBC Sport, added: "We are delighted to have secured these rights in the England Cup until the 2024-2025 season, allowing millions of viewers to continue to enjoy the most famous national cup competition in the world.

"This new offering brings even more games to audiences across the country, while the BBC offers a top-notch sport on all our platforms.

"Our FA Cup coverage represents one of the most important audience figures of the year, engaging a younger key audience and providing memorable sporting moments that unite a nation."