The channel will show two full days of FA Cup content, including all live games this weekend
The BBC has created a pop-up FA Cup channel on BBC iPlayer centred around this weekend’s fourth round action, as well as showing archived FA Cup content.
The VoD channel will show two full days of FA Cup coverage, with all the live games, classic matches, highlights and goals across the weekend.
The FA Cup Channel is the first pop-up channel to have been created for iPlayer. This weekend’s games – all live on the channel – include Brentford vs Leicester on Saturday and holders Manchester City vs Fulham and Shrewsbury Town vs Liverpool on Sunday.
Fans will be able to select the commentary – from BBC One, BBC Radio 5 Live, or no commentary – to go alongside the action.
The Women’s FA Cup fourth round Manchester derby will also be available to stream on Saturday.
“[The pop-up channel gives] far more FA Cup action than they could ever get on our linear channels.”
The archive content on the channel includes iconic games such as Luton’s 2006 tie against Liverpool, and Manchester City’s 2004 fourth round replay against Tottenham Hotspur. There will also be edited highlights of Bradford’s 2015 fourth round upset against Chelsea.
Match highlights on The FA Cup Channel will come via Match of the Day; all the goals will be rounded up on Final Score; and fans can also watch FA Cup Rewind Round 4, which compiles together highlights from FA Cup fourth round matches in previous years.
Steve Rudge, BBC lead executive, football, says: “This new pop-up channel on iPlayer will give us the ability to give football fans far more FA Cup action than they could ever get on our linear channels, plus we’ve chosen some pretty tasty games from fourth rounds in the past for fans to sink their teeth into too.”
Dan McGolpin, controller of BBC iPlayer, adds: “The FA Cup pop-up channel will be available exclusively on BBC iPlayer all weekend and is a great example of the Total TV experience that you find there. It will be the place to enjoy all of the build-up and all of the goals, the live fourth round ties with your chosen commentary feed and some classic matches from the world’s original cup competition. Whatever kind of drama you are passionate about, BBC iPlayer is a great place to watch.”
Speaking to Broadcast at the back-end of last year, McGolpin detailed plans to reinvent iPlayer to “bring the nation together” in areas such as sport and major national events.
The full schedule on The FA Cup pop-up channel is as follows:
Saturday
10:00 FA Cup Rewind Round 4 Part 1
11:00 FA Cup Rewind Round 4 Part 2
12:00 Round 4 Cup Classic from 2015: Chelsea 2 Bradford City 4 edit 12’
12:10 MOTDx FA Cup Fourth Round Preview
12:15 Live: Brentford v Leicester City – two alternative audio options available from 5 Live and commentary-free, plus the option on iPlayer to watch Women’s FA Cup Round 4 Manchester United v Manchester City live from 1240
14:30 FA Cup Final Score
17:30 Round 4 Goals Loop
22:30 Match of the Day
Sunday
09:00 FA Cup Rewind Round 4 Part 1
10:00 FA Cup Rewind Round 4 Part 2
11:00 Round 4 Cup Classic from 2015: Chelsea 2 Bradford City 4 edit 12’
11:10 FA Cup Heroes Matt Smith 4’
11:15 Round 4 Cup Classic from 2004: Tottenham Hotspur 3 Manchester City 4
12:45 Live: Manchester City v Fulham – two alternative audio options available from 5 Live and commentary-free
15:05 Cup Classic from 2006: Luton Town 3 Liverpool 5
16:30 Live: Shrewsbury Town v Liverpool – alternative audio option available to watch commentary-free
19:10 Round 4 Goals Loop
22:30 Match of the Day