The highly anticipated FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Manchester City has its kick-off time set for 3 pm on May 25th. This decision was made after consultations involving the Football Association, Metropolitan Police, Brent Council, and rights holders BBC and ITV. The Met Police expressed concerns about crowd safety, leading to the shift from the traditional late start time. The FA’s preference for early evening kick-offs to maximize television viewership had to be adjusted. This early start, while welcomed by fans traveling to London, poses a scheduling challenge for ITV, which also holds the rights to broadcast the European Champions Cup final scheduled to begin at 2:45 pm on the same day. The rugby authorities have voiced their disappointment as their showcase event may be overshadowed. Despite the scheduling conflict, organizers of the Champions Cup are unwilling to alter their kick-off time due to concerns in France. The Met has not raised any concerns about hosting both major sporting events in London on the same day.
