US sports broadcaster ESPN has acquired rights to the English FA Cup club football knockout competition.
The rights will be exploited via ESPN+, the direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service operated by ESPN and parent company Disney. The multi-year deal also includes the Community Shield curtain-raiser.
ESPN+ will stream 79 matches per season, including the FA Cup final. The deal begins with the first round of the competition in November.
Additional content will be provided across ESPN+ and other ESPN platforms, including highlights and preview shows, as well as live coverage of FA Cup draws. The deal also includes the semi-finals and final of the FA Youth Cup.
The agreement adds to ESPN+’s expanding portfolio of football rights, which also includes the Italian Serie A, Dutch Eredivisie, Chinese Super League and Australian A-League top-tier competitions.