Crystal Palace Under-18s will host Bradford City in our highly anticipated FA Youth Cup third-round tie tonight (Friday, 5th December, 18:00 GMT) at Selhurst Park – grab your tickets now!
The whole game will be broadcast LIVE on Palace TV+ tonight (Friday, 5th December), with pre-match content available from 17:30 GMT - click HERE to subscribe now and choose a package that’s right for you.
Please note that tonight's match is only accessible to viewers in the UK, due to FA broadcasting rules.
Can’t watch live? Stay up to date with live commentary on our Academy X (Twitter) page and look out for the full match report on our Academy news section shortly after the final whistle.
Bradford arrive in South London in excellent form, having booked their place in the third round with a 4-1 win over York City at the LNER Community Stadium, following an earlier 5-3 victory against Stockton Town.
Palace, meanwhile, will be aiming to go one step further than last season, when they were narrowly beaten 1-0 by eventual champions Manchester City at this stage.
With all Premier League and Championship academies entering the competition in the third round, this clash marks Palace’s tournament curtain-raiser.
If the scores are level after 90 minutes, extra-time and – if required – penalties will decide who progresses, adding an extra layer of drama to what promises to be an exciting evening at Selhurst Park.
Full fixture and ticket information for the tie can be found below for supporters.
Crystal Palace U18s v Bradford City U18s
Tickets are delivered digitally at the point of purchase and must be downloaded to an Apple or Google Wallet for entry – click HERE to buy tickets.
Supporters who are unable to facilitate digital tickets should contact boxoffice@cpfc.co.uk, where the team can provide a PDF ticket alternative.
Since its inception in the 1952/53 season, the FA Youth Cup has consistently been held in high regard by youth teams nationwide, maintaining this position despite significant changes in youth football over the past 70 years.
The structure closely resembles that of the FA Cup, the world’s oldest domestic cup competition, providing non-league clubs with a chance to enter their youth teams in the qualifying stages.
Palace have won the tournament back-to-back in 1977 and 1978, with the likes of Vince Hilaire, Kenny Sansom and Terry Fenwick all involved. These players formed the base of what went on to be known as the ‘Team of the Eighties,’ and are part of Palace’s strongest ever FA Youth Cup XI.