sport news Revealed: FA Cup Final kick-off time is confirmed, with Met Police NOT wanting ... trends now

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The FA Cup final will kick off mid-afternoon next month creating a clash with rugby union’s European Champions Cup final and a scheduling nightmare for rights holders ITV. 

The FA confirmed on Tuesday morning that Manchester United and Manchester City will kick off at 3pm on May 25 in a repeat of last year's final.

The decision was taken after English football's governing body held talks with the Metropolitan Police, Brent Council and TV rights holders BBC and ITV.

Mail Sport reported on Monday that the Met did not want the Manchester derby to kick off any later due to the risk of crowd trouble at Wembley. Last year, the kick-off time was brought forward to 3pm from 5:15pm for the first time since 2011.

The FA’s preference is for early evening kick-offs as they generate bigger TV audiences in the UK and United States in particular, but sources at Wembley are resigned to the Cup final kicking off at its traditional 3pm start time.