Facebook to Broadcast Live FA Cup Match for the First Time

An unprecedented event is about to happen after Facebook will broadcast the FA Cup match with Budweiser between Ascot United and Wembley FC live on the social networking site.

The stream will be funded by the FA Cup’s new sponsors Budweiser, and is the first broadcast of its kind anywhere in sport.

The extra preliminary round tie pits minnows Ascot United against Wembley FC and will be streamed straight from the Budweiser UK Facebook fan page. The 90-minute live stream will be available on friday via an application Budweiser has built specifically for the world’s largest social network. It will open up a game that would traditionally attract around 90 spectators to Facebook’s 700 million global users.

Budweiser marketing director Ian Newell said: “Budweiser is committed to bringing the world’s most prestigious knockout competition closer to the fans. What better way to demonstrate this than by broadcasting the very first kick to a global audience via Facebook?

“This is the first time an FA Cup tournament fixture has been broadcast live on the social network, which is great news for football fans and clubs alike.”

Ascot, who play their football in the Hellenic League, take on Combined Counties side Wembley at the Racecourse Ground in one of 204 extra preliminary-round fixtures.

This year’s FA Cup will have 763 clubs competing, with an extra-preliminary round, a preliminary round, and four qualifying rounds for some teams before the first round proper takes place the weekend of 12th November.

Traditionally Premier League sides will join the competition in the third round at the beginning of January 2012.

The final will take place on 5th May 2012 at Wembley Stadium  less than two miles from Wembley FC’s home ground.