Home Sports FA Cup semi-final dates and kick-off times revealed as police pull Man United’s game against Coventry forward as it’s bizarrely deemed a ‘high-risk’ fixture

FA Cup semi-final dates and kick-off times revealed as police pull Man United’s game against Coventry forward as it’s bizarrely deemed a ‘high-risk’ fixture

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The FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Coventry City on April 21 has been brought forward following orders from the Metropolitan Police
  • The Football Association originally requested a 4pm kick-off on Sunday 21 April
  • But the Met Police have stepped in again to push the Wembley kick-off forward
  • England’s Euro 2004 team was incredible on paper, but they didn’t win. Can this crop make it this summer? listen to It’s All Kicking Off podcast

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The FA has been forced to bring forward the kick-off time for next month’s FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Coventry after the Metropolitan Police deemed it a “high risk” match.

Mail Sport has learned that the second FA Cup semi-final is set to kick off at 3.30pm on Sunday, April 21, with Manchester City v Chelsea kicking off at 5.15pm the previous evening.

The FA is believed to have originally requested a 5pm kick-off. 4pm for United against Coventry, but after talks with the Met have agreed to kick-off half an hour earlier after police raised public order concerns.

The decision is expected to be confirmed at a meeting of the Local Safety Advisory Group, which also includes Brent Council, later on Friday.

The FA’s talks with the Met are the latest in a long line of recent disputes over kick-off times which are proving frustrating for governing bodies and broadcasters, in this case the BBC and ITV.

The FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Coventry City on April 21 has been brought forward following orders from the Metropolitan Police

The FA Cup semi-final between Manchester United and Coventry City on April 21 has been brought forward following orders from the Metropolitan Police

United beat Liverpool 4-3 in a dramatic quarter-final to book their place in the semi-finals

United beat Liverpool 4-3 in a dramatic quarter-final to book their place in the semi-finals

United beat Liverpool 4-3 in a dramatic quarter-final to book their place in the semi-finals

They were drawn against Championship side Coventry in the semi-finals after stunning Wolves

They were drawn against Championship side Coventry in the semi-finals after stunning Wolves

They were drawn against Championship side Coventry in the semi-finals after stunning Wolves

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Later kick-off times attract larger television audiences and more advertising revenue, with evening kick-offs becoming the norm for FA Cup semi-finals and finals in recent years.

FA and EFL sources have both privately expressed frustration at an apparent change of policy by the Met over the past 12 months, which has resulted in any match involving Manchester United and Liverpool being deemed high risk .

The EFL was furious last month that the Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea had to be brought forward to 5pm. 15, while the Met’s decision to categorize United against Coventry as high risk has raised eyebrows at Wembley.

The FA had to advance last year’s Manchester United v Manchester City Cup Final to 5pm. 3pm due to public order concerns raised by the Met, and has increasingly been pushed back to an earlier kick-off for this season’s final at Wembley on May 25.

Such a move would be particularly frustrating for rights holders ITV, which is also due to broadcast rugby’s Investec Champions Cup final on the same day with a 2.45pm kick-off.

Last month's Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea at Wembley also saw the kick-off time brought forward by the Met Police

Last month's Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea at Wembley also saw the kick-off time brought forward by the Met Police

Last month’s Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea at Wembley also saw the kick-off time brought forward by the Met Police

The European Rugby Cup Ltd has no flexibility over the kick-off time for the Champions Cup final at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, which would force ITV to broadcast two games simultaneously on different channels.

The Champions Cup final kicks off at 2.45pm to avoid clashes in France with coverage of the Cannes Film Festival and football’s League Cup.


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