The 2025 Community Shield will not be shown on free-to-air TV after the FA confirmed that TNT Sports will be taking over broadcasting duties for the season curtain raiser.
It will be the first time four years the clash between the winners of the Premier League and FA Cup will not be shown on terrestrial TV.
ITV held the rights during that time, having returned the traditional showcase to free-to-air TV for the first time in nine years when they broadcast Leicester City’s 1-0 win over Manchester City at Wembley in 2021.
A statement from the FA on Tuesday confirmed that fans will will need to tune into TNT Sport’s exclusive coverage on Sunday when Liverpool take on Crystal Palace.
‘The 2025 FA Community Shield match will be contested by the 2024-25 Emirates FA Cup winners, Crystal Palace, and 2024-25 Premier League champions, Liverpool,’ the statement read.
‘The game will take place at Wembley Stadium connected by EE on Sunday 10 August. It will be broadcast live and exclusively on TNT Sports 1, with kick-off at 3pm BST.’
The 2025 Community Shield will not be shown on free-to-air TV after the FA confirmed that TNT Sports will be taking over broadcasting duties
It will be the first time four years the clash between the winners of the Premier League and FA Cup will not be shown on terrestrial TV
This season’s match will feature the Premier League champions, Liverpool, and the FA Cup winners, Crystal Palace
Liverpool head into the clash looking to clinch their 17th victory in the exhibition match, while Palace are seeking their maiden triumph, having won their first major honour in May.
Arne Slot’s men have invested heavily this summer and will field a squad vastly different to the one that cruised to the league title last term.
The likes of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez are all expected to feature as they bid to defend their top-flight crown this season.
Palace, meanwhile, have been forced to wage an unwanted battle against UEFA to secure qualification for the Europa League their FA Cup win guaranteed.
The Eagles have taken UEFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport after being bumped down to the Conference League due to multi-club ownership rules. The club were removed from the Europa League because American businessman John Textor — through his Eagle Football Holdings group — held a 43.9 per cent stake in Palace while also owning 77 per cent of French side Lyon.
Both clubs had qualified for the Europa League, and UEFA rules prohibit two teams under the same ownership or influence from competing in the same European competition. With that in mind, UEFA chose to keep Lyon in the tournament and demoted Palace to the Conference League.
Lyon were deemed the ‘priority club’ due to Textor’s majority control, and because UEFA’s MCO rules state that the club with the higher domestic league finish retains its place. Lyon had finished sixth in Ligue 1, while Palace were 12th in the Premier League — even though Palace qualified via the FA Cup.
Palace argue that UEFA’s application of the MCO regulations contradicts its own competition rules, and have taken their case to CAS, where a hearing will take place on Friday, with a verdict expected next Monday.
Palace have been forced to wage an unwanted battle against UEFA to secure qualification for the Europa League their FA Cup win guaranteed
As they wait to learn their fate, Palace have distanced themselves from the Conference League just hours after being drawn in the competition’s play-off round.
On Monday afternoon, Palace’s official website briefly published an article detailing their potential opponents in Europe.
Monday’s draw paired the Eagles with either Norwegian side Fredrikstad or Danish club Midtjylland, with the first leg scheduled for August 21 at Selhurst Park and the return fixture a week later on August 28.
