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    Major broadcasting change to FA Cup with BBC or ITV set to lose coverage as fans rage about deal with new channel

    FOOTBALL fans are going to be able to watch more FA Cup games than ever.But it won’t be entirely free with the FA agreeing a new four-year deal with paid broadcaster TNT Sports.
    TNT Sports will be the new home of the FA CupCredit: Reuters
    The new deal will begin from the 2025/26 season and will see every game from the third round onwards, outside of the 3pm kick offs, televised.
    TNT Sports, who currently show Champions League and Premier League coverage, charge a subscription fee to watch their coverage.
    But the FA have confirmed in a statement that the FA Cup will still be shown on free-to-air channels alongside TNT Sports.
    However it is not known what channel that will be with the statement adding that it will be “confirmed in due course”.
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    ITV and BBC currently share the rights to show the historic competition.
    Mark Bullingham, FA Chief Executive, said: “This new partnership will see selected matches shown live on TNT Sports, as well as free-to-air, from the first round of the competition through to the Final at Wembley Stadium.

    “TNT Sports are an outstanding broadcaster with an impressive record of showing some of the biggest and best sporting events around the world,
    “So we are delighted to be working with them on our shared commitment and long-term vision that will ensure the Emirates FA Cup continues to thrive over the coming year.”
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    The deal will also see TNT televise the Community Shield, and the FA Youth Cup semi-finals and final.
    Some fans have been left fuming by the news with frustration over having to pay to watch the 153-year-old competition.
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    One wrote on social media: “Grim. FA Cup behind a paywall. Totally grim.”
    While another added: “This is wrong. The world’s oldest and most prestigious national cup competition should always be free-to-air.”
    A third wrote: “Taking the FA Cup off terrestrial TV is absolutely sickening.” More

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    Gary Lineker’s ultimate pundit 5-a-side team revealed with legends from BBC Sport, Sky Sports and TNT Sports

    GARY LINEKER has picked a host of legendary names after being tasked with choosing his ultimate five-a-side team of pundits.The former Leicester and Everton star was one of the best strikers on the planet during the 1980s.
    Gary Lineker has named his ultimate 5-a-side team of the pundits he has worked withCredit: The Rest is Football
    His Golden Boot exploits at the 1986 World Cup for England earned him a dream move to Barcelona, where he achieved cult hero status with an El Clasico hat-trick against bitter rivals Real Madrid.
    Lineker, who helped the Three Lions to reach the semi-final of Italia ‘90, returned to Tottenham in 1989 and won the FA Cup.
    He finished his playing days with a two-year spell in Japan at Grampus Eight before returning to these shores and working as a pundit.
    And after impressing on Match of the Day, Lineker was made host of the long-running hit BBC show in 1999 as he replaced Des Lynham, and he’s had the job ever since.
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    During an appearance on The Rest is Football podcast alongside Alan Shearer, they were asked to name a five-a-side team out of the pundits they have or currently work with.
    And Lineker opted for a brilliant side of legendary names who now start on BBC Sport, Sky Sports and TNT Sports when naming his.
    Speaking to Newcastle’s all-time top scorer Shearer, he began with: “You’d definitely be in my five-a-side, Alan.
    “I’d have Thierry Henry, who we’ve worked with many times of course in World Cups and hopefully the Euros.”
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    After naming Arsenal’s record goalscorer, he then opted for another ex-Gunner.
    “How about Cesc Fabregas,” before both he and Shearer agreed that Roy Keane would be in there.
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    But Lineker then seemingly opted for a defender instead of the now Sky Sports pundit Keane – and Shearer was quick to state that he would not argue with his choice.
    “Rio Ferdinand – defender,” he said.
    And then after Manchester United icon Peter Schmeichel and ex-Newcastle stopper Shay Given were both touted to be keepers, it was the Great Dane that Lineker picked as he said he had “just edged it”. More

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    Who is Afcon 2023 final referee Dahane Beida?

    THE Africa Cup of Nations final is upon us after a thrilling tournament in the Ivory Coast.And the refereeing team has been decided with a Mauritanian star named as the official for the big one.
    Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida is refereeing the Afcon finalCredit: AFP
    Who is Afcon final referee Dahane Beida?
    Dahane Beida is refereeing the Afcon final between Nigeria and Ivory Coast.
    Beida is a 32-year-old Mauritanian official, and was the referee for Egypt’s thrilling 2-2 draw with Mozambique in the group stage.
    That match saw Mo Salah score a dramatic 97th-minute penalty which Beida gave after a VAR call.
    Beida was also in charge of Angola’s 3-0 win over Namibia in the Last 16, in which a player from either side was sent off inside the first half.
    Angola’s goalkeeper Neblu was red carded in the 17th-minute for handling the ball outside his area, before Namibia’s Lubeni Haukongo was given a second yellow five minutes before the break.
    An Afcon statement read: “Dahane Beida, aged 32, will be the on-pitch referee for this crucial match, marking his third appearance at this year’s TotalEnergies CAF AFCON.
    “Previously, he officiated the match between Egypt and Mozambique, which ended in a 2-2 draw during the group stage, as well as the Round of 16 clash where Angola secured a 3-0 victory over Namibia.
    “Assisting Dahane Beida will be Emiliano Dos Santos from Angola and Diana Chicotesha from Zambia, Morocco’s Bouchra Karboubi will serve as the fourth official.”
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    Dahane Beida shows a red to Namibia defender Lubeni HaukongoCredit: AFP
    When is Nigeria vs Ivory Coast?

    Nigeria’s big Afcon final clash with Ivory Coast will take place on Sunday, February 11.
    The game will kick off at 8pm UK time.
    Nigeria vs Ivory Coast will be played at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

    What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

    Nigeria vs Ivory Coast will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Sports Football and BBC Three in the UK.
    You can live stream the action from the NOW TV or Sky Go app, both of which are available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
    The game is also available to stream for FREE from the BBC iPlayer, so long as you have a valid TV licence. More

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    Where is Gary Lineker and why isn’t he on Match of the Day?

    GARY Lineker has been the backbone of the Match of the Day presenting team for almost a quarter of a century.But the former Leicester, Spurs and Barcelona striker wont be appearing on the show on Saturday February 10 — here we take a look at why.
    Gary Lineker was suspended from MOTD in March 2023 for breaking the Beeb’s impartiality rulesCredit: Rex
    Where is Gary Lineker and why isn’t he on Match of the Day?
    Gary Lineker has been forced to pull out of presenting Match of the Day on Saturday February 10, 2024.
    He usually hosts the football highlights show every Saturday night.
    Gary took to X, formerly Twitter, on the afternoon of the show he’s missing to break the news to fans.
    In typical style, he joked: “Some good news for some: I’ve been silenced….with a rotten cold that seems to be lasting forever.
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    “Hate missing hosting @BBCMOTD but I’ll be watching.”
    So instead of being in the studio, he’ll be convalescing at home.
    Fans were quick to wish the former striker well, with one person tweeting: “Get well soon Gary, we need you in strong voice!”
    Another commented: “Get well soon Gary!”
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    While a Newcastle fan joked: “Get well soon Gary. And you’re doing the right thing. We don’t want Wor Al catching it 🖤🤍.”
    Gary is regularly joined on the show by pundits including Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Micah Richards.
    MOTD and BBC Sport struck a new four-year agreement with the Premier League in December 2023, meaning the TV programme will continue to show Premier League highlights until 2029.
    Gary is also believed to be set to agree a huge contract extension with the BBC.
    Who has replaced Gary Lineker?
    Mark Chapman will step in to replace Gary while he is ill.
    The Manchester United fan has been a regular on Final Score and Match of the Day 2.
    So although Chappers is BBC Sport’s chief rugby league presenter, he also knows a thing or two about the beautiful game.
    When was Gary Lineker last missing from Match of the Day? 
    The BBC dramatically suspended Gary from Match of the Day in 2023, leading to the programme being broadcast without presenters, pundits or the usual commentary team over the weekend of March 11/12.
    This came after the BBC ruled that a tweet he posted about former Home Secretary Suella Braverman broke impartiality rules.
    Gary took to Twitter to hit out at the Illegal Migration Bill, which bans migrants who arrive on small boats from ever settling in Britain.
    His suspension sparked chaos as scores of his co-hosts launched a mutiny.
    A BBC spokesperson said: “Some of our pundits have said that they don’t wish to appear on the programme while we seek to resolve the situation with Gary.
    “We understand their position and we have decided that the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry.”
    The show’s commentary also stood down, with commentators usually heard on football broadcasts outside of the UK replacing them.
    Gary and the team returned MOTD to present highlights of the FA Cup quarter-finals on March 18, 2023.
    More recently Gary missed the footy highlights and analysis programme on April 1, 2023.
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    It was no April Fool’s Day joke, as he explained in a tweet: “Just so there’s no misunderstanding, I won’t be doing @BBCMOTD tonight.
    “I’m not suspended, just on holiday. Back next week. 😂👍🏻” More

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    Gary Lineker pulls out of Match of the Day at last-minute as he says ‘I’ve been silenced’

    GARY LINEKER has been forced to pull out of tonight’s Match of the Day.The England legend hosts the football highlights show every Saturday, but will not feature this evening.
    Gary Lineker has been forced to pull out of tonight’s episode of Match of the DayCredit: BBC
    Lineker revealed that he has a coldCredit: X @GaryLineker
    Instead, Mark Chapman will step in to replace him.
    Lineker took to X, formerly Twitter, on Saturday afternoon to break the news to fans, confirming he is under the weather.
    In typical style, he did it with a joke.
    Lineker wrote: “Some good news for some: I’ve been silenced….with a rotten cold that seems to be lasting forever.
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    “Hate missing hosting @BBCMOTD but I’ll be watching.”
    Fans were quick to wish the former striker well, with one person tweeting: “Get well soon Gary, we need you in strong voice!”

    Another commented: “Get well soon Gary!”
    While a Newcastle fan joked: “Get well soon Gary. And you’re doing the right thing. We don’t want Wor Al catching it 🖤🤍.”
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    Lineker has presented Match of the Day for almost 25 years.
    He is regularly joined on the show by the likes of Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Micah Richards.
    Match of the Day and BBC Sport struck a new four-year agreement with the Premier League in December.
    The TV programme will continue to show Premier League highlights until 2029.
    Lineker is also set to agree a huge contract extension with the BBC.
    The Leicester legend has recently been embroiled in some controversies with the BBC.
    Last month he sparked a row and was slammed as “ignorant” after sharing a tweet calling to ban Israel from world football.
    Lineker reposted a statement on X from a pro-Palestinian campaign calling for Israel to be ousted from global tournaments and games “until it ends its grave violations of international law”.
    And last March he sparked an impartiality row after saying the Government rhetoric on immigration was similar to that of 1930s Germany. More

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    FA Cup TV fixtures confirmed with Man Utd, Chelsea and Liverpool to be split between BBC and ITV

    ITV are set to air Chelsea and Liverpool’s FA Cup clashes – but have missed out on Manchester United.The Red Devils will face Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup fifth round after Nuno Espirito Santo’s side scraped past Bristol City on penalties.
    Chelsea reached the fifth round after beating Aston Villa in a replayCredit: Alamy
    Manchester United face Nottingham Forest for a place in the quarter-finalCredit: PA
    That clash will be broadcast on BBC One on Wednesday February 28 at 7.45pm.
    Liverpool and Chelsea are set to play on the same night with the Reds facing Southampton on ITV at 8pm.
    The Blues will have to settle for ITV4 when they play Leeds, with kick-off at 7:30pm.
    ITV4 will also host non-league minnows Maidstone for their trip to Coventry on Monday February 26.
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    While the all-Premier League clash between Luton and Manchester City takes place on February 27 on ITV One.
    The final tie to be aired on a linear channel is Blackburn v Newcastle, which also takes place on February 27 on BBC One.
    The 12 clubs that are involved in live broadcast ties on the BBC and ITV’s linear channels will receive a £125,000 fee, and the four clubs that are participating in live broadcast ties on BBC iPlayer will receive a £55,000 fee.
    The iPlayer clashes include Bournemouth vs Leicester and Wolves vs Brighton.
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    Chelsea reached the fifth round after pulling off a surprise 3-1 win over Aston Villa in a replay this week.
    Mauricio Pochettino’s side have proved handy in the cup competitions after reaching the Carabao Cup final, and the clash with Leeds should prove to be a feisty affair.
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    Alex Scott left absolutely drenched live on BBC after Plymouth vs Leeds hit by downpour as fans say ‘get her a brolly!’

    FOOTIE fans were united in their sympathy for Alex Scott after seeing her get DRENCHED during her broadcasting duties.Scott was part of the BBC’s live coverage of Plymouth’s FA Cup fourth-round replay with Leeds United on Tuesday night.
    Alex Scott led the BBC’s coverage of the FA Cup fourth-round replay between Plymouth and Leeds UnitedCredit: BBC
    Scott presented the match along with Jermaine Beckford and Glenn Murray
    The former Arsenal and England defender ended up being drenched by rainCredit: BBC
    The weather down in the south west was torrid, to say the least.
    High winds and buckets of rain battered Home Park Stadium, so much so that Scott ended up being soaked from head to toe.
    Scott braved the elements without an umbrella, unlike fellow pundits Jermaine Beckford and Glenn Murray, which meant her dark tartan jacket took a soaking.
    Watchers of the match couldn’t help but comment, with one saying: “I bet Alex Scott regretted not having a brolly pitchside before the #PLYLEE game.
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    “I live a 10-minute walk away from the ground and can confirm it’s absolutely pissing it down.”
    Another said: “Hey @AlexScott – tell the lads the pub round the corner has asked for their beer garden parasol back.”
    And another said: “Any chance one of those two lads could go over and cover Alex Scott with their umbrella?
    “They’re big enough keep all of three of them dry, yet they have one each and remain dry, while Alex is getting soaked.
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    Alex Scott didn’t let the torrential rain dampen her spirtisCredit: BBC
    “Come on lads, be a gentleman @BBCSport.”
    One remarked: “Someone get Alex Scott an umbrella, please.
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    “Glenn Murray you sir are not a gentleman.”
    And another chimed in: “@AlexScott bet your freezing in the rain this evening – well done for still smiling.”
    Leeds took the lead in the 66th minute through Italy international Wilfried Gnonto.
    But the Championship outfit were forced to play extra time thanks to a 78th-minute equaliser from Brendan Galloway.
    However, they ran out 4-1 winners to set up a fifth round clash with Villa or Chelsea. More

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    BBC sport presenter Amy Irons reveals awkward wardrobe malfunction as she thought ‘just don’t turn round’ live on air

    BBC sport presenter Amy Irons has opened up on the shock wardrobe malfunction that almost caused disaster just SECONDS before going live on-air.Amy, 32, has become one of Scotland’s most popular telly presenters, presenting sports bulletins on BBC’s Reporting Scotland and anchoring Sportscene.
    Amy Irons presents sport for BBC ScotlandCredit: Willie Vass
    Amy has also hosted SportsceneCredit: BBC
    Amy’s opened up on a rather embarrassing moment early in her career
    But she’s revealed how an embarrassing moment at the very beginning of her presenting career almost led to disaster!
    Amy, who also hosts her own show on Heart Scotland, previously made appearances on STV before her career took her to the BBC.
    And it was over on the other channel when chaos ensued just SECONDS before she went on-air!
    Sometimes not everything is as it seems on TV and that was the case when calm and collected Amy had suffered an awkward wardrobe malfunction moments before the camera started rolling.

    Asked about any on-air disasters she’d dealt with, Amy told GlasGo Podcast: “Oh gosh now we’re talking!
    “I remember being at STV, gosh this is now taking me back!
    ” I remember being at STV and it was, do you remember Live at 5? STV 2 when they set up STV Glasgow.
    “I was presenting that and I remember it was early on and I hadn’t done much presenting at this point so it was a big occasion. Trip to Zara, new outfit, properly on it whereas now I’m like ‘I’ll throw on any old thing to go on the tell!’
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    “But I remember this specific – I had this kind of cream, like fake leather skirt and a shirt and I was sitting on the sofa and just before you go on air, you do the beginning of the show standing up.
    “So we were sitting down, maybe going through the running order, talking through the programme.
    “You hear the director – ’30 to go on air’.
    “I stand up – the skirt rips CLEAN. From like back down to below my bum.
    “It was awful and it was just like split like that. The worst thing I was, I must have been about 22/23, and this poor camera guy in like his 40s had to run over just with gaffer tape, sticking my skirt to my buttcheeks!
    “It was honestly – I was just standing there and everyone’s looking at you and we still had to go on air.
    “We managed to put like three bits of tape over – just don’t turn round when you’re on the telly and getting through an hour and a half of television, they had the live set in the kitchen, the band and I was just shuffling everywhere. Just making sure not to turn round like a little penguin going from side to side!
    “Honestly, I laugh at it now but I remember at the time being absolutely mortified and it was all I could think about all show.
    “That was an on-air disaster.”
    Amy also revealed how Rangers legend Ally McCoist helped her early on in her budding sports media career.
    She revealed how she was left thinking “I can’t do this” after one of her first press conferences before a kind gesture from Coisty – then Rangers manager – helped her out massively.
    Amy said: “I remember being in this press conference at Rangers, it was Ally McCoist at the time.
    “I could not get a word in. It was Sky, BBC, PA. Arghh!
    “By the time they’d all asked 15 questions each I was like ‘I don’t know what to ask now, what are you having for your lunch Ally?!’
    “I was so rattled by that whole experience and I just thought ‘I can’t do this’.
    “I remember at the end just walking out and the only thing I could find the ability to say was ‘Ally, erm, my dad says hi, he knows you.’
    “And he said ‘Oh, who’s your dad?’
    “I said ‘Davie Irons’ and he put his arm around me, started walking down the corridor like ‘How’s your dad?! You phone him after this and tell him I’m asking for him!
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    “All the journalists were like ‘who is this?’ but after that, every time I went back (to Ibrox), he would make sure I got a question in. He would look for me.

    Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page  More