- FA Cup final kick-off time officially confirmed
- Manchester City must first overcome Southampton
- Former City youngster shares excitement ahead of clash
The FA have confirmed the kick-off time for the 2026 FA Cup final as Manchester City prepare for their semi-final clash against Southampton at Wembley.
The semi-final clash against Southampton draws closer as Pep Guardiola faces a dilemma ahead of the game on Saturday.
Following their 1- 0 win against Burnley, Guardiola’s men will be hoping to make the FA Cup finals again. They haven’t missed it for the past three seasons.
However, with Rodri injured and a Premier League game on Monday, the Citizens are in a crunch to maintain form in all competitions.
The semi-final kick-off on Saturday is set at 17:15 UK time. Nevertheless, the date for the final is already known, and now the FA have also announced its kick-off.
FA Cup final returns to its historic kick-off time
The FA Cup final will take place at Wembley, like always, on the 16th of May. The game will kick off at 15:00 UK time.
Likewise, viewers in the UK can watch the final on BBC One, iPlayer, TNT Sports and HBO Max, while international broadcasters haven’t been confirmed yet.
The final at Wembley usually takes place at 15:00 UK time, but last year things were different. ITV and BBC disagreed on scheduling, as both broadcasters had slotting issues.
Shea Charles hopes for an ‘incredible’ game
Shea Charles will face his former club at Wembley this Saturday. The midfielder is a product of the City academy, but left in 2023 in hopes of more game time.
He has made 19 starts for Southampton this season and made a substitute appearance against Arsenal in the FA Cup quarter-final.
Charles went on to score a winner against the Gunners and will be hoping to perform similarly against Man City.
“A semi-final at Wembley in the Emirates FA Cup is incredible anyway, but obviously to do it against Man City is incredible. They’re probably the best team in the country at the moment,” Charles told Sky Sports.
He added: “I’ve got a lot of ManCity fans in my family, so hopefully they’ll be supporting me on that day. I’m really looking forward to it, I think it will be incredible.”
Man City are favourites for Saturday
Southampton aren’t having the best of seasons following their relegation from the Premier League. The Saints finished 20th in the English top-flight last season and are now fourth in the Championship.
They edged past Fulham in the fifth round. A penalty during injury time saved their FA Cup campaign. The game against Arsenal again saw them win by a one-goal margin.
City, on the other hand, are in great form. They thrashed Liverpool 4-0 in the quarter-finals and remain favourites against Southampton.
