Viral video shows the delay between football games and live TV broadcast

Fans have been left stunned after realising the delay time at football games shown live on television.

In top leagues and competitions, most high-profile fixtures are broadcasted to millions on TV and in recent times the emergence of streaming services has only added to coverage.

Of course it's a very different type of experience to being at the game, feeling that atmosphere and seeing all the drama and brilliance in the flesh rather than on a screen.

And it's only in person where you actually see all the action completely live. That's because there is a slight delay before the images are shown on TV - unless you're using a dodgy stream where you're minutes behind.

Sports journalist Zakaria Taibi decided to shed light on the delay while in attendance at the FA Cup semi-final between Manchester City and Sheffield United on Saturday.

While in the Wembley Stadium press box, Zakaria filmed hat-trick hero Riyad Mahrez taking a corner. He also had the benefit of having a TV monitor right in front of him, which saw him do a mini-experiment.

The writer counted a delay of SEVEN seconds between Mahrez whipping in the cross and it being shown on ITV. The video has amassed 1.3 million views on TikTok and though some people were well aware beforehand, it brought plenty of reaction.

One said: "This explains how my sofascore notifications arrived before it actually happens on live TV."

A second joked: "This means some people watched Messi lift the World Cup before me."

A third commented: "I live next to Anfield stadium, I hear a celebration, few seconds later I see the goal on tele."

A final user wrote: "Well that's not very live is it."

According to the Big Tech question, delays are because digital TV signals, when it comes to Freeview and Sky, have to be encoded and decoded before you see it happen on your screen and sometimes it depend on how fast your internet is.

It also means if something unsavoury happens, then TV companies have the ability to cut away ahead of time.

Featured Image Credit: TikTok/@zakaria_taibi

Topics: FA Cup, Premier League

Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and wrestling. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has interviewed some of the biggest names in the field - including the first UK interview with The Hardy Boyz after their return to WWE. He has never sported a pair of Lonsdale Slip-ons, contrary to reports.

@joshlawless_