Wembley Stadium is set to host Manchester City vs Crystal Palace in the 2025 FA Cup Final later this month, and after much speculation, fans now finally have clarity on the kick-off time.
After speculation due to a potential scheduling conflict with the Eurovision Song Contest, the Football Association has officially confirmed that the FA Cup Final will kick off at 4:30pm (BST) on Saturday, 17th May.
The revised time has been selected to ensure that football fans and Eurovision enthusiasts will be able to watch both events. The Eurovision Grand Final is set to begin at 8:00pm, offering just enough time for viewers to enjoy the final before switching over to Europe’s most-loved music contest.
While the adjusted 4:30pm kick-off allows audiences to catch both events, the schedule leaves little room for delays. A standard 90-minute match would see the final whistle blown around 6:20–6:30pm. However, if the match extends into extra time or penalties, it could potentially overlap with Eurovision’s opening acts.
It could turn out to be a great day of betting for those looking to have a wager. There should be several enhanced odds offers available from several bookies on the FA Cup Final and the number of people looking to bet on Eurovision has increased dramatically in recent years.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City return to Wembley in search of their eighth FA Cup title. The reigning Premier League champions will be looking to avenge last year’s dramatic defeat to Manchester United, where a late goal shattered their hopes of back-to-back FA Cup triumphs.
City’s recent silverware tally includes:
A win at Wembley would help ease the woes of a somewhat disappointing season for City who saw their attempt at defending their league title slip away midway through the season. Pep’s side were also knocked out this season’s UEFA Champions League after a 6-3 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid.
Crystal Palace will be quietly confident of causing an upset in the final. The Eagles have reached the FA Cup Final twice before – in 1990 and 2016 – with both ending in defeat against Manchester United.
Now, nearly a decade later, Palace return with an in-form squad and a tactical setup capable of unsettling the best. A victory would mark the first major trophy in the club’s 119-year history, and after a convincing 3-0 win against Aston Villa in the semi-finals, not many will be writing Oliver Glasner’s side off.
The final will be broadcast live on BBC and ITV. The move to a 4:30pm start is also intended to cater to international audiences, with viewership expected to span across Europe, Asia, North America, and beyond.
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