The kickoff time for the FA Cup final is reportedly being considered for a dramatic change to accommodate a popular annual television event.
The climax of the world`s oldest club competition is set for Saturday, May 17th at Wembley Stadium.
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Credit: AP
Manchester City is set to face Crystal Palace in the final, hoping to conclude their season positively by lifting the trophy.
While a 3:00 PM kickoff is anticipated, a later start time of 5:15 PM, similar to a recent semi-final between Palace and Aston Villa, is also possible.
However, broadcaster BBC is reportedly advocating for the earlier 3:00 PM start to avoid a conflict with the Eurovision Song Contest.
Should the match begin after 5:00 PM and extend into extra time or penalties, it would likely overlap with the beginning of Eurovision.
An earlier 3:00 PM start would mitigate this risk, with the match concluding around 6:30 PM even if it goes to penalties.
The Football Association (FA) is expected to confirm the final kickoff time this week.
The FA`s decision will also consider other factors, including input from the local council and police.
Notably, this year`s final is scheduled to occur BEFORE the conclusion of the Premier League season.
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Although no Premier League games are set for that Saturday, the domestic season finishes on Sunday, May 25th.
Manchester City secured their spot in the final by defeating Nottingham Forest 2-0 last Sunday.
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, reached their first final since 2016 and just their third overall by beating Villa 3-0.
Marcus Bellamy