FA Cup final 2024, Manchester City vs Manchester United: What time is it and what TV channel is it on?

The stage for the FA Cup final is set, and it’s a Manchester derby for the second time in as many years.

This year Manchester United reached the final thanks to a sketchy victory over Coventry City. The Championship team were 3-0 down deep into the second half of their semi-final only to score goals in the 71st, 79th and 95th minute. In extra time the underdogs thought they had the match won only for their winning goal to be ruled out for a marginal offside. Manchester United went on to win the tie in a penalty shoot-out.

In the other semi-final, Bernardo Silva scored the only goal as Manchester City beat Chelsea. The victory came just three days after Silva had missed a vital penalty in City’s Champions League quarter-final defeat to Real Madrid.

Should Manchester United win the FA Cup final it will be their 13th FA Cup title and Erik ten Hag’s second trophy during his time at the club, after the League Cup victory last season. In the build-up to the game, Ten Hag finds himself under huge pressure, however, owing to his team’s recent form in the Premier League, notably the 4-0 defeat by Crystal Palace.

If City win, it will be their eighth FA Cup title.

When is the FA Cup final?

The 2024 FA Cup final will take place on Saturday, May 25, six days after the final round of Premier League matches. Kick-off is at 3pm.

It could be the last time the final is held in the Saturday slot following the last round of Premier League fixtures, with the FA having agreed a deal that will see it moved to the weekend of the Premier League’s matchday 37 – the penultimate round – for at least the next six years.

Where is it being held?

Wembley Stadium in London will play host.

Wembley has been the venue for the competition’s finale since 1923 barring a six-year hiatus between 2001 and 2006, when it was held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, while the original Wembley was demolished and a new Wembley Stadium was built.

The northwest London venue will also host the 2024 Champions League Final a week later on June 1.

What TV channel is the FA Cup final on in the UK?

BBC and ITV have the rights to the FA Cup and will be showing the final. It will also be available on their digital platforms, BBC iPlayer and ITVX.

By law, the FA Cup final is one of the fixtures that must be shown on free-to-air television in the UK. The other football events with the same protection are the men’s and women’s World Cups, the men’s Euros and (in Scotland only) the Scottish Cup Final.

Can I still get tickets for the final?

It is unlikely. Manchester United and Manchester City have each been allocated 30,000 tickets. That means that approximately two thirds of the stadium will be filled with actual fans. The tickets will be distributed to season ticket-holder only.

Last year, United and City each received 30,500 tickets. And the allocations for this year’s final are also lower than the 34,000 tickets they were given for the semi-finals.

The cheapest tickets will be £5 for under 16s, rising to £145 for adults.

Who are the current champions?

The FA Cup holders are Manchester City, who won their seventh FA Cup last season, and their second under Pep Guardiola, beating Manchester United 2-1.

Ilkay Gundogan broke the record for the fastest ever goal in an FA Cup final, scoring after just 12 seconds. After a Bruno Fernandes penalty erased the opening goal, Gundogan scored again in the 51st minute, propelling City to the title.

Having already won the Premier League at the time, they would then go on to win the Champions League one week later to complete a treble. 

What is the prize money for the FA Cup?

The winner of the final will receive £2 million from the FA. However, the cumulative prize money on offer for a team that progresses through the tournament and wins it stands at just over £4 million.

Last year, Manchester City earned around £3.9 million for winning the competition. By comparison, City earned £176.2 million for winning the Premier League and about £85 million for winning the Champions League.

Which team has won the most FA Cups?

Arsenal are the most successful club in FA Cup history, having won the tournament 14 times, most recently in 2020. In second are Manchester United with 12 wins.

Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are in third with eight wins each. Aston Villa and Manchester City both have seven; Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers six; Everton, West Bromwich Albion and Wanderers five, with Wolves, Bolton Wanderers, Sheffield United, Sheffield Wednesday, West Ham United, Preston North End, Old Etonians, Portsmouth, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Bury all having won it twice.