2023 FA Cup Final: Man City v Man Utd – Date, Time, Tickets, TV Schedule & Live Streaming

Bitter cross-city rivals Manchester City and Manchester United will trade tackles at Wembley Stadium in the 2023 FA Cup final in June.

It will be the first-ever Manchester Derby final, with bragging rights, history books and silverware at stake for the two Premier League clubs.

While Man City breezed into their first FA Cup final since their triumphant 2018/19 campaign courtesy of a 3-0 demolition of second-tier Sheffield United in the semi-final, Man Utd had to grind their way into the decider.

Erik ten Hag’s side squeezed past Roberto De Zerbi’s high-flying Brighton & Hove Albion in the other last-four contest on penalties to set up a mouth-watering encounter against a team bidding to equal United’s famous treble in 1999.

After leading the Red Devils to League Cup glory in February, the Dutchman will be looking to put a dent into Man City’s effort to win a treble of the Premier League title, FA Cup and Champions League.

Pep Guardiola’s chopping machine is on the verge of an unprecedented season in club history after reigniting their Premier League title defence and advancing into the Champions League semi-finals.

Although Man United cannot do anything to stop the Cityzens from lifting the Premier League crown for the third season running, they could still curtail their FA Cup dream.

You need to go to 2015/16 for United’s last triumph in the FA Cup as Louis van Gaal’s Red Devils side eked out a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory over Crystal Palace.

They have since made just one appearance in the final, going down 1-0 at the hands of Chelsea in 2017/18, so motivation should be at the ultimate high in the Old Trafford camp.

2023 FA Cup Final Date

The highly-anticipated showpiece falls on Saturday, June 3, with the iconic Wembley tasked with hosting the event for the 17th year on the trot.

The FA Cup final has generally been staged in mid-May, but after the 2022 World Cup pushed back the club football season, officials have postponed the showpiece fixture until June. 

What’s significant for the finalists is that the Premier League season will end a week in advance, allowing both sides to rest and prepare for this history-defining moment. 

What time does the FA Cup Final kick-off?

Unlike the semi-finals, the upcoming FA Cup final is set to return to its traditional 3.00 pm kick-off slot [BST] for the first time in over a decade after police labelled it a ‘high-risk’ fixture.

Since the atmosphere is expected to be emotionally charged, there have been concerns regarding the increased risk of disorder associated with later kick-off times, particularly following the violence that marred the 2020 European Championship final.

While the semi-finals kicked off at 4.45 pm and 4.30 pm respectively, the title decider will start this early for the first time since 2011. 

Negotiations between the Football Association and the Metropolitan Police have progressed towards an agreement for an earlier kick-off time.

The FA Cup final has been known to kick off as late as 5.30 pm in recent years, including from 2015 to 2017, as well as in 2020 when the game took place behind closed doors.

2023 FA Cup Final Tickets

Obtaining tickets for the FA Cup final can be a complex process as most of the available seats are typically reserved for fans or season ticket holders of the finalists. 

To purchase tickets at face value, individuals often must prove their loyalty as a fan and demonstrate that they have attended most of the matches during the season.

The 2023 FA Cup final tickets went on general sale on April 24, the day after Man United ousted Brighton in the second semi-final. 

But since tickets for the respective finalists are set to be distributed through the clubs, you will have to check the official Man United and Man City websites. 

If you wonder how much they cost, a quick look at the last final’s prices could give you a rough picture of how much you’d need to spend to get your seat at Wembley. 

With costs ranging from £45 at the lower end of the spectrum to £145 at the highest point, it’s fair to say every true fan can afford to witness this historic showdown first-hand. 

TV Schedule & Live Streaming

BBC and ITV will broadcast the 2023 FA Cup final live on television in the United Kingdom, but you can watch the FA Cup final live online via various streaming platforms. 

ESPN+ has acquired the TV rights in the United States, while beIN SPORTs has done the same in France and the Middle East.

Unfortunately, Germany and Italy have failed to provide TV coverage, although local fans can watch the game via DAZN’s streaming platform. 

Below are guidelines on how to watch the game in some of the major territories:

Man City in the FA Cup

Since taking charge of Man City in 2016, Guardiola has amassed an eye-catching 11 domestic titles, yet he has won only one FA Cup, thumping Watford in a joint-record 6-0 victory in the grand final in 2018.

That was City’s sixth triumph in the competition, with only six clubs boasting more than the Cityzens, although they also lament five defeats in the showpiece fixture. 

Man Utd in the FA Cup

Despite last winning the FA Cup seven years ago, the Red Devils have conquered the tournament 12 times, making them the second-most successful FA Cup champions behind Arsenal (14) in the competition’s 151-year history.

However, that loss to Antonio Conte’s Chelsea in 2018 marked Man United’s eighth defeat in the FA Cup final, with only Everton and the Blues losing as many title-deciding fixtures. 

How do the managers fare in grand finals?

When it comes to the managers’ track records in the finals, Man City boss Guardiola holds a firm upper hand over his Man United counterpart Ten Hag. 

Widely considered one of the best managers in football history, the Spaniard has featured in ten domestic cup finals, racking up a jaw-dropping nine victories. 

Since his first taste of managerial success in 2008/09 when his mercurial Barcelona side ousted Athletic Bilbao 4-1 in the Coppa del Rey showpiece, Guardiola has excelled in these high-octane fixtures.

Jose Mourinho remains the only manager to beat the 52-year-old in a domestic cup final, doing so in the 2011 Copa del Rey with Real Madrid on the back of Cristiano Ronaldo’s extra-time heroics. 

However, Guardiola boasts a flawless record in England, having won all seven title-deicing match-ups in domestic competitions at the helm of Man City.

The same goes for Ten Hag, although at a much smaller sample, with the Dutchman leading Man United to a 2-0 League Cup win over Newcastle United in his only cup final as Red Devils manager. 

But while enjoying his rise to stardom at Ajax, the 53-year-old won two KNVB Cup trophies in 2018/19 and 2020/21 before succumbing to a 2-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in his last final in 2021/22. 

Earlier that season, PSV embarrassed ten Hag’s Ajax side 4-0 in the Johan Cruyff Shield, casting some doubt on the Dutchman’s ability to withstand the pressure when the stakes are high.