Who’s Commentating Doncaster Rovers v Southampton and Where to Listen – FA Cup on BBC & World Feed

The Emirates FA Cup third-round tie between Doncaster Rovers and Southampton at the Eco-Power Stadium brings traditional British cup football to centre stage, and a wide range of coverage means supporters can follow every kick around the world.[2][3] For fans in the UK, the focus is firmly on the BBC, with updates on television and full match commentary across national and local radio, as well as digital platforms such as BBC Sounds and BBC Sport Online audio. Overseas, the fixture is picked up by multiple streaming services and pay-TV operators using the official FA Cup world feed commentary team.[2][6]

This match forms part of the 2025–26 Emirates FA Cup, with Doncaster looking to upset higher-division opposition and Southampton aiming to avoid a classic cup shock.[2][4] The FA Cup’s global rights deals ensure that, beyond the BBC’s domestic presence, supporters can tune in via services such as ESPN+, Stan Sport and others depending on their territory, all taking the same world feed commentary.

Match overview – Doncaster Rovers v Southampton in the FA Cup

Doncaster Rovers host Southampton at the Eco-Power Stadium in Doncaster in a third-round tie that epitomises the FA Cup’s reputation for pitting ambitious lower-league sides against established names.[2][3] Southampton, with recent Premier League pedigree, arrive as favourites, but Doncaster’s home advantage and the one-off nature of a cup tie mean the tie has genuine upset potential, something that historically has defined the competition.[4]

Global listings confirm the game as part of the FA Cup schedule, with broadcasters highlighting the clash as one of the more intriguing meetings between clubs from different rungs of the English pyramid.[2][6] Coverage is tailored to each market, but the backbone of the broadcast is the centrally produced world feed, which provides commentary to several international partners.

BBC Final Score – TV updates with reporter Naz Premji

On UK television, the match is included within the BBC’s long-running Final Score programme, which delivers live updates, goals, and key incidents from across the Saturday afternoon slate. For this tie, pitchside and in-stadium reporting responsibilities fall to Naz Premji, who will provide regular updates, interviews and reaction for the BBC’s rolling scores service.

Naz Premji is a familiar voice and face to British football followers, particularly across the north of England. Over the years he has built a reputation as a diligent and well-prepared reporter, contributing to both BBC television and radio coverage on a wide range of fixtures, from the Premier League down to the EFL and domestic cup competitions. His presence at Doncaster ensures that Final Score viewers will be kept informed with context as well as basic scorelines, often including details on tactical shifts, injuries and crowd atmosphere.

BBC Radio 5 Live – national radio updates with Andy Giddings

Nationally, BBC Radio 5 Live carries the FA Cup across its Saturday afternoon coverage, cutting to key matches around the country for live reports. For Doncaster Rovers v Southampton, the BBC has assigned experienced reporter Andy Giddings to provide updates into 5 Live’s programming.

Andy Giddings is well known to listeners across Yorkshire and beyond as a long-serving BBC football voice. Based in the region, he has covered Doncaster Rovers, Sheffield Wednesday, Sheffield United and other Yorkshire clubs for many seasons, building strong local knowledge and contacts. His reports on 5 Live typically offer sharp, concise descriptions of major incidents, as well as a feel for the mood among both sets of supporters.

BBC Radio Sheffield – full local commentary team

Supporters in South Yorkshire can enjoy dedicated local coverage on BBC Radio Sheffield, which delivers full match commentary of Doncaster’s FA Cup adventure. The station has assembled a commentary pairing with strong ties to the region and to Doncaster Rovers.

Main commentator: Robbie Andrews
Co-commentator: Lee Turnbull

Robbie Andrews is a regular part of BBC Radio Sheffield’s football output, often heard on Doncaster Rovers matches in league and cup. His style blends accurate play-by-play reporting with an ear for atmosphere, allowing listeners to visualise the action at the Eco-Power Stadium. Over time he has become one of the key radio voices associated with Doncaster’s modern era.

Lee Turnbull, meanwhile, brings significant Doncaster experience in various behind-the-scenes roles, including scouting and recruitment, and he has a longstanding connection with Yorkshire football. Drawing on his background in club structures and player identification, Turnbull’s co-commentary typically goes beyond the basics, offering insight into player development, tactical setups and how individual performances on the day might shape careers.

BBC Radio Solent – Southampton-focused commentary

On the south coast, BBC Radio Solent is the place to go for in-depth Southampton coverage. For this FA Cup tie the station fields a commentary duo that Saints supporters will recognise from league campaigns and previous cup runs.

Main commentator: Adam Blackmore
Co-commentator: Jo Tessem

Adam Blackmore is the long-established voice of Southampton on BBC Radio Solent, having covered the club through promotions, relegations and significant FA Cup ties. He is known for detailed preparation, strong relationships with club staff and players, and an ability to convey both the technical and emotional beats of a match to the radio audience. His work has made him synonymous with Saints commentary on the BBC’s local output.

Alongside him, Jo Tessem offers the perspective of a former Southampton player. Tessem, a Norwegian midfielder, enjoyed a spell with the Saints in the Premier League era, giving him first-hand experience of top-level English football and of the club itself. As a co-commentator he often draws on that background to explain positional play, pressing structures and game management, especially in high-pressure knockout scenarios such as the FA Cup. His analysis tends to resonate with supporters who remember his time on the pitch at St Mary’s.

BBC Sounds app & BBC Sport Online (audio) – combined commentary feed

Modern FA Cup coverage increasingly relies on digital platforms, and this tie is no exception. Both the BBC Sounds app and BBC Sport Online (audio) will carry a combined commentary feed, giving online listeners access to the same high-quality radio call wherever they are in the UK.

Main commentators: Adam Blackmore and Robbie Andrews
Co-commentators: Jo Tessem and Lee Turnbull

This blended production effectively brings together BBC Radio Solent and BBC Radio Sheffield. With Adam Blackmore and Robbie Andrews sharing play-by-play duties, the commentary can seamlessly reflect both the Southampton and Doncaster perspectives. Blackmore’s Southampton focus and Andrews’s Doncaster expertise ensure that fans of each club hear their side represented fairly and knowledgeably.

Co-commentary from Jo Tessem and Lee Turnbull adds depth. Tessem draws on his experience as an ex-Southampton midfielder, discussing tactical details such as transitions, pressing triggers and how the Saints adapt their approach against lower-league opposition. Turnbull contributes from a Doncaster and recruitment-centred angle, often highlighting lesser-known players, youth prospects and how Doncaster’s game plan seeks to disrupt the visitors. This mix gives BBC Sounds and BBC Sport Online listeners a rounded, nuanced audio description of the contest.

talkSPORT – national commercial radio with Mark Wilson

In addition to the BBC, national commercial broadcaster talkSPORT provides coverage of the FA Cup as part of its extensive football schedule. For this tie, talkSPORT lists Mark Wilson as the reporter and commentator, feeding into the station’s Saturday output.

Mark Wilson has been a regular presence across talkSPORT’s football commentary and reporting, covering EFL and cup fixtures as well as other live sport. His style is pacy and descriptive, well suited to commercial radio’s need to keep listeners engaged across multiple matches and updates. For Doncaster v Southampton, he is expected to file frequent reports and commentary segments, ensuring talkSPORT’s audience is kept abreast of major developments.

International coverage – world feed and global streaming platforms

Outside the UK, international broadcasters rely on the world feed supplied to FA Cup rights-holders. For Doncaster Rovers v Southampton, the world feed lists Matt Davies-Adams as main commentator.

Matt Davies-Adams is an experienced football broadcaster and commentator who has worked across radio, television and podcasting, often covering English football for international audiences. His commentary style combines clear, measured description with an awareness of storylines that matter to both neutral viewers and club supporters. On world feed duty he is tasked with presenting the match in a way that is accessible to fans who may not follow either club week-to-week, explaining context around league positions, recent form and the FA Cup’s traditions.

A number of platforms and channels around the world take this FA Cup world feed, meaning that Davies-Adams’ commentary is heard in multiple territories. For Doncaster v Southampton, the following services are among those carrying the game, all listed as using the world feed commentary:

beIN Connect New Zealand – serving viewers in New Zealand as part of beIN’s football portfolio.[6]
DAZN Italia – a subscription-based sports streaming service in Italy, offering live football to Italian audiences.
Disney+ Brazil and Disney+ South America – streaming coverage across Brazil and parts of South America, reflecting Disney’s expansion into live sport in selected markets.
ESPN Unlimited (US) and ESPN+ USA – ESPN’s US platforms, with ESPN+ a subscription streaming service carrying a wide range of football, including the FA Cup.
Hub Sports 2 HD – a channel serving selected Asian territories.
MONOMAX (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos) – providing coverage across parts of South-East Asia on an OTT basis.
Sportsnet+ Premium (Canada) – Canada’s streaming home for many football competitions.
Stan Sport Australia – an Australian subscription service with rights to several football properties.
SuperSport OTT 6 – part of SuperSport’s extensive African sports offering.

In each of these cases, local branding and presentation may differ, but the core match commentary is drawn from the same world feed source, ensuring consistency of description and analysis. Local studios sometimes wrap this feed with their own pundits for pre- and post-match discussion.

Why the commentators and pundits matter for this tie

The blend of national, local and international commentary teams reflects the FA Cup’s reach and the specific appeal of this tie. BBC coverage leans heavily on journalists and co-commentators with strong links to the clubs and regions involved. For Doncaster, Robbie Andrews and Lee Turnbull bring detailed knowledge of the club’s recent journey through the EFL and its ambitions in the cup. For Southampton, Adam Blackmore and Jo Tessem connect the match back to the Saints’ broader narrative of bouncing between divisions while trying to maintain a clear playing identity.

On a national level, Naz Premji and Andy Giddings provide context for fans who might be tracking several FA Cup matches simultaneously, ensuring Doncaster v Southampton’s key moments are covered alongside other ties. Commercially, Mark Wilson on talkSPORT offers an alternative commentary style that suits listeners who prefer the station’s fast-paced, discussion-heavy approach.

Internationally, Matt Davies-Adams introduces Doncaster and Southampton to audiences who may be more familiar with the Premier League’s biggest clubs, outlining why an FA Cup third-round tie at the Eco-Power Stadium still matters in the wider context of English football. His commentary helps to convey the romance of the competition – lower-league clubs chasing an upset, higher-tier sides managing fixture congestion and expectations – to viewers across several continents.