The FA Cup is also known as the Football Association Challenge Cup which is an annual men’s playoff English football game.
FA Cup 2023-2024 kicked off with the Extra preliminary round on August 5, 2023, followed by Proper Rounds which are currently underway since November 4, 2023.
Next up is the Second Round Proper & Second Round Replays, and the final of the cup will be played on May 25, 2024.
A total of 732 clubs will participate this year and the winner of the Cup will be directly qualified to participate in the UEFA Europa League 2024-2025 group stage.
FA Cup’s popularity has grown all over the globe over the years. You can watch the FA Cup in Ireland via free and premium services like BBC iPlayer, ITV, Premier Sports, and ESPN+.
However, some of these services are geo-restricted in Ireland and the only way to access them is via a VPN like ExpressVPN.
Our Recommended VPN – ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is our recommended choice to watch the FA Cup in Ireland via geo-restricted services like BBC iPlayers, ITV, & ESPN+ as it easily unblocks the service by masking your IP address.
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How to Watch FA Cup in Ireland for Free
ITV & BBC iPlayer are the two free UK-based services that have the official rights to stream different FA Cup matches on their platforms.
However, both of these services are geo-restricted, you will need to connect to the UK Server with the help of a VPN like ExpressVPN to unblock them in Ireland.
Here are the steps you need to follow to watch the FA Cup in Ireland for free via ITV:
Step 1: Subscribe to a safe VPN service (ExpressVPN is our #1 choice)
Step 2: Download and install the ExpressVPN app on your device
Step 3: Open the VPN app and connect to a UK server
Step 4: Visit the ITV website
Step 5: Click on Live and select itv1, itvx, or itv4 to watch FA Cup matches (matches will be available in the 2nd and 4th rounds, quarterfinals, and finals)
Step 6: Sign in if you already have an account or Register to create one
Step 6: Set up your profile
Step 7: Start Streaming!
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4 Ways to Watch FA Cup in Ireland
The FA Cup will be on various free and premium broadcasters. You can access any of them with the help of a VPN like ExpressVPN.
1. BBC iPlayer (Free)
BBC iPlayer is a UK-based free streaming service that will broadcast 18 matches per season from the season 2021 to 2025.
The BBC will have first and fourth picks of matches in the first, third, and fifth rounds as well first pick of the semi-finals and the final.
You can stream all of these matches live in Ireland on BBC iPlayer with the help of a VPN like ExpressVPN. The VPN will give a valid UK IP address to access BBC iPlayer.
Read more: How to watch BBC iPlayer in Ireland
2. ITV (Free)
ITVX is a freemium streaming service that has the rights to broadcast the FA Cup in the UK for free. ITV will air more than 20 matches a season along with live coverage of the Community Shield.
ITV has the first and fourth picks in the second and fourth rounds plus the quarter-finals & final.
However, it is geo-blocked outside the UK, so you will need a reliable VPN like ExpressVPN to access ITVX. The VPN will provide a valid UK IP address to unblock the content in Ireland.
Read More: How to Watch ITV in Ireland
3. Premier Sports
Premier Sports is a group of pay television sports channels available in Ireland. It is the home of the Emirates FA Cup and broadcasts ALL the big games in Ireland.
You can access Premier Sports with Virgin TV, with Sky Sports for €10/mo for 6 months & NOW TV for €11.99.
4. ESPN+
ESPN+ has the official rights to broadcast the season 2023-24 FA Cup in the US. Enjoy watching all rounds, qualifiers, & finals of the FA Cup.
You get all games on replay and with full highlights across ESPN+ and ESPN.com. ESPN+ subscription costs $10.99/Mo or $109.99/yr. You can also get ESPN+ in a bundle along with Hulu & Disney+ for $14.99/mo.
Unfortunately, ESPN+ is geo-restricted to the US only, you will need a VPN to access it in Ireland. We recommend ExpressVPN.
Read more: How to unblock ESPN in Ireland
How to Watch FA Cup in Ireland on Mobile Phone
You can enjoy all the thrilling FA Cup live in Ireland via free & premium services’ websites and apps mentioned in the blog with the help of ExpressVPN.
You can enjoy all the big games of the FA Cup on Premier Sports via Now TV. Now TV offers an official mobile app for Android and iOS phones.
To stream the game, you must subscribe to its specific sports plan. Follow the steps below to watch the FA Cup in Ireland on mobile:
Step 1: Download the Now TV app from PlayStore or APK
Step 2: Open the app and click on the sidebar
Step 3: Choose Sports Membership
Step 4: Scroll down, select your plan, and click Claim Offer
Step 5: Click Checkout
Step 6: Create your account by clicking Continue to checkout or sign in with your existing one
Step 7: Enter your credentials
Step 8: Choose your payment plan and enter your credentials to subscribe. Enjoy streaming
Step 9: Enjoy streaming!
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When & Where is FA Cup 2023-24 Happening?
Date: August 5, 2023 – May 25, 2024
Venue: Different venues around the UK. The final will be played at Wembley Stadium, in London.
Platforms: Premier Sports, ESPN+, BBC iPlayer, ITV.
FA Cup 2023-24 Schedule
Here is the complete schedule for the FA Cup 2023-24:
| Round | Date |
|---|---|
| Extra preliminary round | Saturday 5 August 2023 |
| Preliminary round | Saturday 19 August 2023 |
| First round qualifying | Saturday 2 September 2023 |
| Second round qualifying | Saturday 16 September 2023 |
| Third round qualifying | Saturday 30 September 2023 |
| Fourth round qualifying | Saturday 14 October 2023 |
| First round | Saturday 4 November 2023 |
| Second round | Saturday 2 December 2023 |
| Third round | Saturday 6 January 2024 |
| Fourth round | Saturday 27 January 2024 |
| Fifth round | Wednesday 28 February 2024 |
| Quarter-finals | Saturday 16 March 2024 |
| Semi-finals | Saturday 20 April 2024 |
| Final | Saturday 25 May 2024 |
Match Schedule
Below upcoming match schedule of of the Second Round Proper & Second Round Replay of FA Cup 2023 with Irish Timezone (GMT) and date:
| Date | Matchups | Time (GMT) |
|---|---|---|
| Second Round Proper | ||
| Tuesday, Dec 12 | Crewe Alexandra vs Bristol Rovers | 19:45 |
| Tuesday, Dec 19 | Blackpool vs Scarboro A / Forest Grn | 19:45 |
| Second Round Replays | ||
| Tuesday, Dec 12 | Barnet vs Newport County | 19:45 |
| Tuesday, Dec 12 | Port Vale vs Stevenage | 19:45 |
| Tuesday, Dec 12 | Walsall vs Alfreton Town | 19:45 |
| Wednesday, Dec 13 | Stockport County vs Aldershot Town | 19:45 |
Other Football Events to Watch in Ireland
You can watch many other sports events and matches in Ireland with the help of a VPN like
ExpressVPN.
- Watch the FIFA World Cup in Ireland
- Watch UEFA Champions League in Ireland
- Watch Live Football in Ireland
- Watch La Liga in Ireland
- Watch EPL in Ireland
- Watch College Sports in Ireland
FAQs – FA Cup
Can we use a free VPN to watch the FA Cup in Ireland?
No! we do not suggest free VPNs because they are not secure and have limited servers. You can use a premium VPN like ExpressVPN to watch the FA Cup in Ireland via ESPN+, BBC iPlayer, or ITV.
What is the difference between the FA Cup and the Premier League?
The Premier League is a two-round knockout competition in which the top 20 English players compete. Meanwhile, the FA Cup brings together 700+ English teams from all tiers of the game.
It is a knockout competition, meaning that if a team loses a match, they are eliminated from the competition.
What channel is the FA Cup on in Ireland?
Premier Sports is the official broadcaster of the FA in Ireland. You can get Premier Sports with Virgin TV, with Sky Sports for €10/mo for 6 months & NOW TV for €11.99.
Conclusion
FA Cup is an annual knockout football competition in men’s domestic English football. The season 2023-2024 of the FA Cup has officially kicked off on August 5, 2023, and the final of the cup will be played on May 25, 2024.
FA Cup’s popularity has grown all over the globe over the years. You can watch the FA Cup in Ireland via free and premium services like BBC iPlayer, ITV, Premier Sports, and ESPN+.
However, you will need a VPN to access some of the geo-restricted in Ireland. We recommend ExpressVPN.
