The Football Association has officially confirmed that the 2024-25 FA Cup final between Manchester City and Crystal Palace will kick off at 4:30pm BST on Saturday, May 17, ending weeks of speculation over the timing of the Wembley showdown.
With no Premier League fixtures scheduled that day, the FA had initially considered a traditional 3pm start. However, concerns over a potential scheduling clash with the Eurovision Song Contest—which airs that evening from Switzerland and drew over 7.5 million UK viewers last year—prompted further discussions. A later kick-off risked overlap in the event of extra time or penalties, while the earlier 3pm option reportedly raised concerns from the Metropolitan Police regarding logistics and safety.
The final kick-off time has now been agreed upon in coordination with the clubs involved, broadcasters, police, local authorities, and the Safety Advisory Group.
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In a statement, the FA said:
“The 2024-25 Emirates FA Cup Final between Crystal Palace and Manchester City at Wembley Stadium connected by EE will kick off at 4.30pm BST on Saturday 17 May. Crystal Palace will make their first final appearance since 2016, while Manchester City are reaching their third consecutive final.”
The match will be broadcast live across multiple UK platforms, including ITV1, ITVX, UTV, STV, STV Player, BBC One, and BBC iPlayer. The FA added that international broadcast details will be released soon.
As part of the competition’s prize fund, the winners will receive £2 million, while the runners-up will take home £1 million.
