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How to watch the Carabao Cup final on terrestrial TV as Arsenal aim to beat Manchester City to the first piece of silverware of the season
The Carabao Cup final will be available to watch for free for fans who make it to Wembley(Image: Stuart MacFarlane, Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
How to watch the Carabao Cup final between Arsenal and Manchester City for free on UK TV
- ITV in Sky deal: A sub-licensing agreement, finalised in 2024, permits selected EFL and Carabao Cup fixtures to be shown on terrestrial television alongside Sky Sports’ coverage. Sunday’s final is included in this arrangement.
- Length of deal: The existing broadcast agreement continues through to the conclusion of the 2026/27 campaign. This ensures supporters can rely on the final being available on terrestrial TV for at least another year after Sunday’s showpiece.
- Cost of deal: The sub-licensing agreement is valued at around £15 million. This supplementary income from ITV helps strengthen financial distribution across all 72 EFL clubs, benefiting the wider English football pyramid beyond the Premier League.
- Coverage start time: Programming on ITV and STV commences at 3.30pm featuring interviews and expert analysis. Kick-off is scheduled for 4.30pm.
- UK streaming: Supporters can also watch for free via the ITVX and STV Player apps with a verified account. This enables streaming across mobile phones, tablets and smart TVs nationwide.
- Sky’s role: While ITV offers the free-to-air option, Sky, as the principal rights holder, maintains live coverage of every single fixture in the competition across its multiple channels and the Sky Sports+ platform.
- Sky coverage: Pre-match programming commences on the Sky Sports Football channel at 3.30pm, while Sky Sports Main Event will broadcast the fixture after the conclusion of the relegation battle between Tottenham and Nottingham Forest
- US viewers: The fixture is available exclusively on Paramount+. The streaming platform will launch its coverage at 11.30am ET. While a subscription is required, new subscribers can typically access a seven-day complimentary trial to view the final.
- UK radio: Commentary will be available via BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT. Both broadcasters will deliver complete live commentary, pre-match build-up and post-match reaction analysis.
- READ MORE: Arsenal Carabao Cup final line ups decided as Kepa decision made amid striker disagreement
