Wembley fan zone: Two areas allocated to both sets of supporters for Cup Final

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With the FA Cup Final now less than 24 hours away, excitement is at fever pitch as Manchester United and Manchester City prepare to go to battle in the first-ever Manchester derby FA Cup final.

While both teams have already made the trip down to London, the vast majority of supporters attending the match will either be travelling later tonight or tomorrow morning. Both clubs have been allocated around 30,000 tickets each and the majority of ticket-holders will be from the North of England.

With train strikes causing problems for those travelling, most people will be coming via car or coach which has prompted police to allocate service stations to each club in an unprecedented move. Once fans arrive at Wembley, they will then disperse to the side of the stadium they have been allocated.

Manchester City fans are set to be situated on the west side of the stadium, while Manchester United fans are set the situated on the east side. This means that Manchester City fans will be able to enjoy pubs such as the Green Man and Boxpark while the red half of Manchester will head to pubs such as the Wembley Tavern and the Torch.

Where are the Wembley fan zones?

In addition to the pubs around Wembley, both sets of supporters will be able to enjoy the fan zones near the stadium. These fan zones are outdoor spaces where fans are able to buy alcohol and food before the match and may well be a popular choice on Saturday given that the weather forecast is indicating that it will be a hot and sunny day.

The Manchester City fan zone on Saturday is located on the event pad on the west side of the stadium while the Manchester United fan zone is located on the east concourse area of the stadium. They will be well sign-posted on the day, meaning they should be easy to find once you are in close proximity to the stadium.

When will the fan zones open and close?

The FA Cup final on Saturday has a 15:00 UK kick-off time which is a couple of hours earlier than it has been in previous years. The main reason for the earlier kick-off time is because the police want to try and ensure both sets of supporters are in or around Wembley as early as possible rather than in the City of London.

As a result, the fan zones on both sides of the stadium are opening at 11:00 UK time. This means that both groups of supporters will be able to soak up the atmosphere and the sun for a good few hours before kick-off before they stop serving alcohol at 14:00. The fan zone will then close half an hour later and fans will be told to go their gates to enter the stadium.

Are the Wembley fan zones free?

The fan zones around Wembley are free as long you have a valid ticket for the match. The drinks and food inside the fan zone aren't free, however, so be prepared to pay if you want to tuck in before the match starts. Spaces are limited so the earlier you arrive the greater the chance of you being allowed in.