One of the most iconic Football trophies in not just England but indeed the world is the FA Cup and the 2018 Final of the great event is just about upon us.
Arch rivals Chelsea and Manchester United will slog it out for bragging rights when they descend to the iconic Wembley Stadium for the Final, and you can watch the action live on your big screen or stream the match live to a mobile device.
2018 FA Cup Preview
This competition is one of the oldest in world football, dating back to 1871 when then FA secretary C W Alcock suggested that “it is desirable that a Challenge Cup should be established in connection with the Association for which all clubs belonging to the Association should be invited to compete.” It has been staged ever since and it gives the lower tier teams the chance to face off against the top of the tree premier league sides, and just about every year you will see a major upset. Arsenal hold the record for the most FA Cup wins on 13 but Manchester United could join them with a win against Chelsea. They sit on 12 wins, their last being 2016. There have been some fairytale Cup runs in history, most notably Crystal Palace in 2016 under the guidance of Australia Miles Jedinak and in 2014 when Hull City made the final. It gives every club under the FA banner a chance to play on the big stage but generally speaking, the better sides in the Premier League go on to play.
That looks to the case in 2018 with Chelsea and Manchester United facing off. This rivalry really reached its peak a few years when Jose Mourinho was in charge of Chelsea and Sir Alex Ferguson had the reins at Old Trafford. Mourinho is now the boss of Manchester United and takes on Chelsea in the Final, a club who has publicly declared his love for given the great amount of success he had there. The pair played in the FA Cup Finals last year which saw Chelsea beat the Red Devils in the Quarter Final, winning 1-0, helped by a red card for United. They played twice in the Premier League and split the points with a win each, their latest game being in late Feb when United won 2-1 in a thriller. For United, this a must win game, because they are yet to win any silverware this season and an empty trophy cabinet for 2017/18 will be considered a failed season. There will be huge pressure on Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez to perform after mixed latter halves of the season respectively. For Chelsea, Eden Hazard has been a star for them this year and is the man that needs to be stopped in order for United to win.
Fa Cup Final 2018 LIVE TV (AEST)
| Date | Event | Time | Channels |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday May 20 | LIVE: Chelsea v Man U | 1.50am – 4.00am | SBS/ESPN |
| Sunday May 20 | LIVE: Chelsea v Man U | 1.50am – 4.00am | SBS/ESPN |
*Shown as Sydney time, adjust for regional differences. SBS is the FA Cup Final free to air Australian broadcaster.
Stream the FA Cup Online
While you can find Chelsea v Man U on free to air, ESPN will provide the most complete broadcast of the FA Cup to include the option to watch the 2018 FA Cup online, a preview show at 1.20am AEST and two-hour replays later that same day.
If you’re a resident of Australia you may wish to review the Foxtel Now 2 weeks Free TV trial, which has No-lock in contract so you can cancel anytime. Foxtel Now will televise the entire FA Cup online, and if you have to be out and about, you can stream Chelsea v Man U live to eligible mobile devices through Foxtel Go.
