Manchester derby FA Cup final in kick-off row as police demand earlier start

The FA are facing a logistical headache over scheduling the FA Cup final, with the Metropolitan Police refusing to sanction their preferred 5:30pm kick-off time on safety grounds. 

Mail Sport has learned that the police have deemed the first ever all-Manchester Cup final on June 3 a high-risk fixture and will demand an earlier kick-off in talks with the FA due to take place later this week.

The FA’s problem is compounded by a potential clash with the Derby at Epsom, which the Jockey Club have listed as being run at 4:30pm, but may now be brought forward. 

Issues caused by this clash have been exacerbated by the fact that both events are due to be televised by ITV.

The channel would ideally schedule both of them in the late afternoon with a significant gap between the two in order to maximise the audience size and do justice to both.

Met Police are refusing to sanction the FA’s preferred kick-off time of 5.30pm because they have deemed the Final, a derby between rivals Man United and Man City, a high-risk clash

Police moved to clamp down on late kick-offs at Wembley Stadium  following the violence that marred England’s European Championship final defeat to Italy two years ago (pictured above)

The FA have no option but to follow police advice, who have moved to clamp down on late kick-offs at Wembley following the violence that marred England’s European Championship defeat to Italy two years ago. 

Last weekend’s semi-finals kicked off at 4:45pm and 4:30pm and while further talks will take place this week, the police have made it clear that 4:45pm is the latest time they will tolerate.

The FA will also hold discussions with ITV, who find themselves in the difficult position of trying to keep two of their major partners happy. 

The most likely solution at this stage appears to be ITV seeking to bring forward the running of the Derby until earlier in the card at Epsom so that both events can be shown on ITV1, although that would require the approval of the Jockey Club.

The FA Cup final was first moved from its traditional 3pm kick-off when Chelsea beat Liverpool in 2012 to avoid a clash with the final day of the Premier League, whose games kicked off at lunchtime, and has become an early evening event ever since. 

The latest the game has kick off has been 5:30pm between 2015 and 2017 and for the behind-closed-doors final in 2020, with last year’s Chelsea v Liverpool clash kicking off at 4:45pm.

An earlier kick-off next month would suit fans of both clubs, not least as the last train back to Manchester on 3 June leaves London at 9:01pm. 

A resolution of the issue is expected later this week.