The world’s oldest club competition is back with its highly-anticipated quarter-finals, and you can watch the FA Cup all over the planet. FourFourTwo’s handy guide is here to help you tune into the 2025 FA Cup live streams wherever you are in the world.
• UK: BBC | ITV
• US: ESPN+
• Australia: Optus Sport
• Watch from anywhere: Try NordVPN 100% risk free
The FA Cup reaches its quarter-final phase this weekend, with two games on Saturday March 29 and two more on Sunday March 30.
There are three all-Premier League clashes, with the Championship's Preston North End the only non top flight team left in the competition. Preston host Villa in the first of the Sunday kick-offs ahead of Man City's visit to Bournemouth. The Saturday schedule sees Fulham vs Crystal Palace followed by Brighton vs Nottingham Forest.
Unlike most other football competitions, the FA Cup gets extensive airing on free-to-air television, with all the quarter-final action broadcast on BBC and ITV this weekend.
There are plenty of overseas options, too, with ESPN+ in the US and Optus Sport in Australia showing all games from the quarter-final of the FA Cup.
Watch FA Cup live streams from anywhere
If you’re overseas when the FA Cup quarter-finals kick-off, that doesn't mean you have to miss out on the action. Geo-restrictions will apply to major broadcasters but there's a simple way around this: a VPN.
A Virtual Private Network - to give it the full name - is a piece of software that sets your IP address to make it look like your device is still back at home. Assuming it complies with your broadcaster’s T&Cs, you can use a VPN to unblock your streaming services when abroad, and you'll get a host of internet security benefits on top.
There are plenty of good-value options out there, but FourFourTwo’s brainy office mates TechRadar are big fans of NordVPN.
Watch FA Cup live streams for FREE in the UK
In the UK, you can watch FA Cup free live streams courtesy of the BBC or ITV. The FA Cup has protected broadcasting status in the UK and every round a selection of matches are shared between the two free-to-air broadcasters.
On the BBC, the biggest matches will be shown live on TV on BBC One, while the Welsh teams still in the competition get their games shown on BBC One Wales. In addition, there are certain games that are not shown on terrestrial TV but are available via the Red Button, or online via the BBC iPlayer streaming platform or the BBC Sport website. The games that are on TV are also simulcast online.
On ITV, games are either on ITV1 and ITV4 on television, and always on their streaming platform, ITVX.
UK fans away from home can still watch FA Cup live streams as they would back home by using a quality VPN such as NordVPN.
FA Cup games on TV in the UK this week
- Fulham vs Crystal Palace | March 29 at 12.15pm | ITV
- Brighton vs Nottingham Forest | March 29 at 5.15pm | BBC
- Preston North End vs Aston Villa | March 29 at 1.30pm | BBC
- Bournemouth vs Man City | March 30 at 4.30pm | ITV
Watch FA Cup live streams in the US
You could even get an FA Cup free live stream in the US, if you tried out the Hulu + Live TV bundle through Hulu, as that comes with a three-day free trial and includes ESPN+. It is pricey, though, at $82.99 a month, so don't forget to cancel if you don't find anything else to watch.
If you already use ESPN+ but aren't in the US right now, you can watch FA Cup live streams by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Watch the FA Cup in Canada
Sportsnet is the FA Cup rights-holder in Canada and will be laying on an envious array of fixtures on its streaming platform, Sportsnet+.
FA Cup soccer only comes with the Premium Sportsnet+ package, which costs $34.99 a month or $249.99 a year.
Watch FA Cup live streams in Australia
The FA Cup has a new home Down Under. Optus Sport – also your destination for all 380 Premier League matches this season – is the new rights holder, and will show all the FA Cup games, most of which won’t be shown on UK TV.
A subscription costs $24.99 AUD per month, but you can make a substantial saving if you sign up for the whole year – the $229 AUD annual subscription will save you more than five bucks a month.
If you're not in Australia right now, you can still access your Optus Sport subscription by using a VPN such as NordVPN.
Watch the FA Cup in New Zealand
In New Zealand, Sky Sport has the rights to the FA Cup.
Certain matches will go out on television, while others can be found on the Sky Sport Now streaming platform. Subscriptions are at the pricier end of the spectrum at $29.99 a week or $49.99 a month, but you do get a wide range of live sport for that price.
FA Cup quarter-final fixtures and TV channels
Saturday, March 29
| Header Cell - Column 0 | UK | US | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
Fulham vs Crystal Palace | ITV1 & ITVX (k/o 12.15pm GMT) | ESPN+ (k/o 8.15am ET, 5.15am PT) | Optus Sport (k/o 11.15pm AEDT) |
Brighton vs Nottingham Forest | BBC One & BBC iPlayer (k/o 5.15pm GMT) | ESPN+ (k/o 12.15pm ET, 9.15am PT) | Optus Sport (k/o 4.45am AEDT, Sunday) |
Sunday, March 30
| Header Cell - Column 0 | UK | US | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
Preston North End vs Aston Villa | BBC One & BBC iPlayer (k/o 1.30pm GMT) | ESPN+ (k/o 9.30am ET, 6.30am PT) | Optus Sport (k/o 12.30am AEDT, Monday) |
Bournemouth vs Man City | ITV1 & ITVX (k/o 4.30pm GMT) | ESPN+ (k/o 12.30pm ET, 9.30am PT) | Optus Sport (k/o 3.30am AEDT, Monday) |
Disclaimer
We recommend VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
