If you are intending to watch the forthcoming FA Cup Final on either TNT Sports or HBO Max, the gameplay itself will now be only a small portion of the day.
The two streaming giants will be turning the final into a full-day affair. They will have coverage starting from morning to evening.
The final is set for Saturday, May 16, 2026. This Chelsea vs Manchester City fixture kicks off at 3:00 pm BST at Wembley Stadium.
About the all-day FA coverage
The all-day plan will start with a Breakfast Show from 9:00 am. This will end at 11:00 am and will be overlooking Wembley. The early coverage is built around fan arrivals.
After that, the day moves into more discussion-led programming around football, food, and storytelling. It will then shift to live updates from team hotels, supporter areas, and Wembley Way. From 1:00 pm, the broadcast moves pitch-side for the main match build-up.
The match is not exclusive to TNT Sports and HBO Max
This tournament’s finale will also be live via other platforms. For instance, in the UK you could stream it on BBC One or BBC iPlayer.
So TNT Sports and HBO Max are not the only paths to enjoy the match.
But, they are offering the longest and most detailed all-day build-up.
Why is HBO Max in this story?
The provider is now the streaming home of TNT Sports in the UK and Ireland.
TNT Sports content made a shift to HBO Max in 2026. The platform now carries TNT Sports’ live coverage of competitions, including the FA Cup, MotoGP, and the rest.
Why is all-day FA coverage useful for viewers?
This all-day plan is most useful if.
- You want more than just the match and enjoy the feeling of the cup final day
- You need pre-match analysis, stories, and tactical talk before kick-off
- You are already using HBO Max for TNT Sports and looking for a clear streaming route to the final
If you only care about the 3:00 pm match, the BBC or other options are enough.
The final already sits inside a bigger run of major live events
TNT Sports is also using the FA Cup Final as the start of a very busy stretch of major football coverage.
The same announcement places it inside a run that includes the UEFA Europa League Final on May 20. The UEFA Conference League Final takes place on May 27, too.