'Cup Culture' Event Previews The FA Cup Final

The Emirates FA Cup final was previewed by The FA on Monday, 20th May, with an exclusive, star-studded event in the build up to this saturday's match between Manchester United and Manchester City. The occasion, dubbed 'Cup Culture', took place at Oval Studios in east London, and demonstrated how both the competition and game are adapting to the wider interests of the next generation of football fans.

The celebration of gaming, music, fashion culture and art surrounding football was attended by around 700 guests, and featured a bespoke one-off replica of the FA Cup trophy, as its centrepiece. The stunning artwork was designed by the renowned Nigerian artist Olaolu Slawn in collaboration with The FA’s official silverware provider, Thomas Lyte, as an homage to the competition’s iconic trophy, and both were on display together throughout the evening.

Cup Culture also saw an EAFC tournament hosted by The Sidemen's very own Tobi Brown (TBJZL). The Sidemen are among the most high-profile internet personalities internationally, with more than 130m combined subscribers on YouTube and millions more followers across their various social media channels. The tournament saw eight teams including representatives from the likes of Bape, Unknwn, and Percival go head-to-head using the Finalist clubs Manchester City and Manchester United, and ILLVZN were crowned the winners in front of an engaged live audience.

Music was provided on the night by UK Rap superstar AJ Tracey. Having tapped into football culture through his 'Joga Bonito' single, as well as the cult clasic 'Thiago Silva' track with Dave, this is an artist who was always going to bring the event to life. There were also sets from JamoBeatz, Izzy Bossy, and the legendary Kenny Allstar among others.

Sneaker brand Kick Game also offered prizes through their Pull Up pop up; with a 'fit check' photo booth hosted by sports fashion publishers Footballers Fits; and a Wembley Stadium VR headset helping to create an immersive experience for all in attendance. There was also a ‘Fast Feet’ interactive game pop up where the best performers could win tickets to the Final and fresh trainers, as well as custom designed kits courtesy of Gallery Gallery.

Cup Culture proved to be an unmissable occasion that recognised and celebrated the FA Cup's history, whilst exhibiting how it continues to evolve with the modern game and fanbase, and kicked off the week of the Final in style.