Why Chelsea vs Morecambe isn't on TV as FA Cup picks explained
Chelsea are back in action on Saturday afternoon with the third round of the FA Cup in full swing.
The London club have won the competition eight times, although their last triumph came back in 2018 under former manager Antonio Conte. They last reached the final of the competition in 2022 when they were beaten on penalties by Liverpool.
Enzo Maresca will hope that will change this season as he targets silverware in his first campaign as Chelsea boss. They are currently fourth in the Premier League standings and were knocked out of the League Cup in the round of 16 by Newcastle, so the FA Cup and UEFA Europa Conference League could be their two biggest opportunities to win a trophy.
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Chelsea's clash with Morecambe is one of 32 games taking place this weekend and only 11 of them have been selected for TV coverage across the BBC and ITV. The match at Stamford Bridge was not one of the games selected, as Liverpool's meeting with Accrington Stanley, Manchester City 's clash with Salford City and Arsenal vs Manchester United among those set to be broadcast instead.
Chelsea's game is also in the 3pm Saturday slot, which cannot be shown on television in the UK due to the blackout. The rule means no live football can be shown between 2.45pm and 5.15pm on Saturdays in order to protect attendances across the pyramid.
The TV coverage for the third round fixtures has been split between the BBC and ITV, with the BBC showing seven matches across BBC One and iPlayer. The remaining four matches have been or will be shown on ITV1 and ITVX.
Instead, Chelsea supporters will be able to watch extended highlights of their game against Morecambe on the BBC's round-up show at 10.30pm, or on iPlayer. Highlights will also be available to watch on the official Emirates FA Cup YouTube channel shortly after the full time whistle.
Should Chelsea progress, the fourth round games will be played in a little under a month at the beginning of February. That will be followed by the fifth round and the quarter-finals in March, as well as the semi-finals in April. The final will then take place at Wembley Stadium on Saturday, May 17.
