20 January 2011

 S4C’s live coverage of the FA Cup third round replay between Cardiff City and Premier League side Stoke City on Tuesday (18 January) attracted a huge audience of 608,000 across the UK.

Over 360,000 viewers tuned in to the programme, presented by the Sgorio team, across Wales with an additional 246,000 outside Wales.

Live and exclusive coverage of Swansea City’s Fourth Round fixture against League One’s Leyton Orient is the next FA Cup match to be broadcast on S4C on Saturday, 29 January from 12:30 (kick off at 12:50). The lunchtime tie kicks off a special afternoon of Cup action with Rhyl’s Welsh Cup match against The New Saints and a full results service of all the afternoon’s results being broadcast soon after.

Abertawe v Leyton Orient: Cwpan FA will feature English subtitles and simultaneous streaming of the match will also be available live on S4C’s website: s4c.co.uk.

Previous FA Cup fixtures have proven popular on the Welsh language Channel in the past with 459,00 football fans across the UK tuning in to S4C’s broadcast of last season’s match between Bristol City and Cardiff City (January 2010). Viewers also tuned in to the Bluebirds’ fifth round defeat to eventual winners, Chelsea, in large numbers.

At the beginning of February, S4C will also show live coverage of Gary Speed’s first match in charge of Wales as they take on the Republic of Ireland in the Carling Nations Cup at Dublin’s new Aviva Stadium.

S4C also broadcasts live football and a full results service every Saturday afternoon in Sgorio.

S4C is available on all platforms in Wales and on Sky 134 and Freesat 120 in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. S4C’s online service is available throughout the UK.

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