The magic of the FA Cup continues this Sunday with a full slate of third round fixtures, as clubs from across the football pyramid battle for a place in Monday night's fourth round draw. After a Saturday packed with dramatic upsets, including non-league Macclesfield's historic victory over Crystal Palace, Sunday promises more potential for cup-set drama.
A New Era for FA Cup Broadcasting
This season has ushered in a significant shift in how fans in the UK can watch the FA Cup. Due to a new commercial agreement, TNT Sports has taken over as the primary broadcaster. This change has led to a major reduction in the number of matches available on free-to-air television.
The BBC's coverage is now limited to just 14 games across the entire competition, featuring two matches per round until the quarter-finals. Meanwhile, ITV no longer holds any broadcasting rights for the tournament. For comprehensive access, fans can turn to the discovery+ streaming platform, which offers live coverage of almost every single fixture, aside from the traditional Saturday 3pm blackout period.
Sunday's Key Fixtures and How to Watch
The day's action kicks off at 12:00 GMT with a Championship clash as Derby County host Leeds United. This early match will be shown live on TNT Sports 2 and is available to stream via discovery+.
At 14:00 GMT, Premier League leaders Arsenal travel to face Portsmouth at Fratton Park. This tie is the featured broadcast on TNT Sports 1 and can also be streamed on discovery+.
A host of matches follow at 14:30 GMT, all available exclusively via streaming on discovery+ on various TNT Sports channels:
- Hull City vs Blackburn Rovers (TNT Sports 7)
- Norwich City vs Walsall (TNT Sports 9)
- Sheffield United vs Mansfield Town (TNT Sports 8)
- Swansea City vs West Bromwich Albion (TNT Sports 6)
- West Ham United vs Queens Park Rangers in a London derby (TNT Sports 5)
Sunday's Main Event at Old Trafford
The final match of the day is a heavyweight Premier League encounter as Manchester United welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to Old Trafford. This 16:30 GMT kick-off will be the main televised event, broadcast on TNT Sports 1 and streamed live on discovery+.
With the draw for the next round looming on Monday, every team will be desperate to secure their passage and move one step closer to a dream day at Wembley.
