Football fans have unleashed a wave of criticism against TNT Sports' coverage of the FA Cup third round, branding their flagship TNT Goals Show as "garbage" and a "farce".
Social Media Erupts Over Chaotic Broadcast
Supporters took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to voice their intense dissatisfaction with the studio show that covered Saturday's early kick-offs and 3pm fixtures. The programme, designed to let fans follow multiple FA Cup ties simultaneously, instead left viewers frustrated and unimpressed.
One angry fan posted: "TNT’s Goals Show is possibly the worst football-adjacent show I’ve ever seen. Not a clue what the pundits are talking about as I’m yet to hear one not talk over another." The sentiment was widely echoed, with another adding: "This TNT FA cup goals show is awful, just pundits no one cares about shouting over each other."
Punditry Panel Faces the Fury
The broadcast featured presenter Matt Smith alongside pundits Fara Williams, Steve McManaman, and Kevin Nolan. While live action from various games played on screen, the analysis drew particular ire for being disjointed and overly loud.
"Everyone laughing and joking but you don't see them as they cut from game to game. It's a farce…" complained one viewer. Others pleaded for a format similar to TNT's Champions League coverage, where a main game is shown with cuts to goals elsewhere, rather than a constant studio discussion.
The criticism overshadowed a weekend of classic FA Cup drama, headlined by National League North side Macclesfield's historic victory over holders Crystal Palace – a result that was shown free-to-air on the BBC.
Background of the Broadcast Deal
The backlash comes during the first season of a new, four-year broadcasting deal between TNT Sports and the Football Association, signed in February 2024. The agreement grants TNT exclusive live rights to show matches from the first round proper all the way to the final at Wembley.
As part of the arrangement, selected matches from each round are also made available on free-to-air television. This weekend, alongside the Macclesfield giant-killing, Tottenham Hotspur's clash with Aston Villa on Saturday evening was also scheduled for broadcast on both TNT and the BBC.
Despite the magic of the cup being alive on the pitch, the response to TNT's studio presentation suggests the broadcaster has significant work to do to win over the FA Cup faithful for the remainder of its lucrative contract.
