FA announce free travel for 5,000 Manchester City and Liverpool fans for FA Cup semi-final

Planet Sport writer
25 March 2022

Liverpool and Manchester City fans will have free travel to Wembley

After calls for the Wembley semi-final to be moved venues, the FA have revealed plans to provide free travel for fans from Liverpool and Manchester.

Liverpool and Manchester City are set to duel it out at Wembley on April 16, with the winner booking a spot in the FA Cup final.

On Friday it was confirmed that the match would kick-off at 15:30 GMT, but fans are facing challenges when it comes to travelling down to the capital.

Due to engineering works over the Easter weekend, no trains are running from the north west down to London, leaving fans from Manchester and Liverpool without a direct route.

As a result of the transportation problems, fans called for the match to change venue, to a more northern neutral venue.

The mayors of Greater Manchester and Liverpool echoed those calls, but the FA have since announced that no venue change will take place.

Instead, the sporting organisation plan to provide free travel for up to 5,000 fans, with 100 buses travelling to Wembley from the Etihad Stadium and Anfield.

🚨 BREAKING 🚨

✅ FA announce a limited number of free return bus services will be provided for both FA Cup and Women's FA Cup semi-final for Liverpool and Manchester City

🚌 100 buses will travel from Anfield & Etihad stadium to Wembley and back pic.twitter.com/pXxWC8Or57
— Football Daily (@footballdaily) March 25, 2022

The FA released a statement on Friday morning confirming the plans:

"The FA recognises the significant challenges that are being faced by some Liverpool and Manchester City supporters.

"The FA, Network Rail and Chiltern Railways strongly advise that Liverpool and Manchester City supporters affected should avoid travelling from the north west by train wherever possible and seek alternative travel arrangements.

"The FA is pleased to announce that a limited number of free return bus services will be provided for both the Emirates FA Cup and Vitality Women's FA Cup semi-finals involving Liverpool and Manchester City on Saturday, April 16 to support fans from the north west who wish to travel to and from London.

The FA has confirmed the schedules, broadcast details and travel advice for the 2021-22 @EmiratesFACup and @VitalityWFACup semi-finals.
— The FA (@FA) March 25, 2022

"The FA will charter 100 buses from Anfield and the Etihad Stadium, respectively, to Wembley Stadium and back. This will ensure that up to 5,000 Liverpool and Manchester City supporters will be able to travel to Wembley Stadium free of charge for their semi-final tie.

"The FA is also committed to provide a number of free return bus services for Manchester City Women supporters travelling from the north west to east London."

Additionally, roadworks are being postponed over that weekend to ensure a smooth journey for fans travelling to Wembley.