2024 FA Cup Final: It’s City Vs United Again!

• All you need to know about referees, kick-off time, and more

BY VICTOR OSOWOCHI – In a repeat of last year’s football showpiece, reigning and newly-crowned Premier League champions, Manchester City hope to complete the first-ever English domestic double defence as they meet bitter rivals, Manchester United in the 2024 FA Cup final at Wembley today.

As the red and blue sides of Manchester line up for this showdown, it is on record that no team in English history has ever won both the Premier League and FA Cup in back-to-back seasons.

With Pep Guardiola looking for yet another notch of English football history on his growing list of firsts, here is everything one needs to know about the final of what has been tagged the world’s oldest football competition.

The first ever Football Association Challenge Cup (FA Cup for short) was held in the 1871–1872 season and it has been held every year since, except for the years during both World Wars.

For this summit, Erik ten Hag has a shot at redemption. After last year’s FA Cup final where the Cityzens emerged victorious in the run-up to their infamous treble, the Red Devils now have a chance to rewrite history.

The Old Trafford LandLords need this trophy to save their season, so it is arguably one of the most important Manchester derby clashes in recent history.

As always, the Cup final will take place at the famous Wembley Stadium. The 90,000 seater stadium will be full to the brim of Mancunians, desperate to paint the town either red or blue.

Kick-off time for this year’s Emirates FA Cup Final 2024 is 3:00 PM (UK), the exact same time as last year’s kickoff time, when City ran out 2-1 winners, thanks to a brace from Ilkay Gundogan in the first ever all-Manchester final.

In that historic encounter, Bruno Fernandes scored United’s solitary goal from the penalty spot.

The match will be shown live in the United Kingdom on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, ITV1, UTV and STV.

Appointed as Centre referee for this final is Andy Madley (West Riding FA) and he will be joined by the following officials: Assistant Referees: Harry Lennard (Sussex FA) and Nick Hopton (Derbyshire FA).

The fourth official is Simon Hooper (Wiltshire FA) while the Reserve Assistant Referee is Tim Wood (Gloucestershire FA)

For Video Assistant Referee (VAR), Michael Oliver (Durham FA) will be in charge supported by Peter Bankes (Liverpool FA) with Assistant VAR being Stuart Burt (Northamptonshire FA)

Ten Hag may derive confidence from the fact United have won five of their last seven FA Cup games against Man City. However, both defeats in that run have come in games at Wembley, in the 2011 semi-final and 2023 showpiece.

Besides Guardiola and Ten Hag meeting in the final of last year’s competition, this is the first time two Premier League managers have gone head-to-head in more than one FA Cup final (excluding replays).