Soccer: Only Wellington to see live FA Cup final coverage

New Zealand soccer fans from anywhere outside Wellington face the unthinkable - no television coverage, live or delayed of this year's FA Cup final.

The rights to the final (in the early hours of May 13, NZ time) have been won by Wellington-based Telstra Saturn who will show it only to their cable subscribers in and around the capital.

The final has been shown live throughout New Zealand since 1973 when, in one of the biggest upsets in cup history, second division Sunderland beat first division Leeds United 1-0.

In recent years TV3 have shown the match but they do not have the rights this year and will not show it either live or delayed.

Spokesmen for TVNZ and Sky also confirmed they had neither the rights to show the showpiece of English football live or any plans for delayed coverage.

The finalists will be known after this weekend's semifinals between Arsenal and Spurs and Liverpool and Wycombe Wanderers.