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Manchester United head coach Casey Stoney says it is “short-sighted” that her team’s historic Women’s Super League game at Old Trafford is not being shown on television.
The WSL game will be shown live on the Football Association’s FA Player free streaming platform.
“I think we’ve missed a massive opportunity,” said Stoney.
United have played their home games at Leigh Sports Village since the team was reformed in 2018.
The match against West Ham will be played behind closed doors at Old Trafford because of coronavirus restrictions and takes place during the men’s international break, meaning the 76,000-capacity venue is free to be used.
The FA’s current WSL broadcast deal see matches shown by BT Sport and the BBC.
This weekend, BT Sport is showing Sunday’s Chelsea v Aston Villa match, while Saturday’s Manchester City v Reading game is on the BBC Red Button and iPlayer.
The game cannot be shown on United’s MUTV channel either, because the club has already shown the maximum of three WSL matches per season on the channel.
“I think the real shame is that we’re not allowed to broadcast it,” said former England captain Stoney.
“Again, we’re so short-sighted in the women’s game, because we’ve used our three games for MUTV and we can’t broadcast it.
“I’m really disappointed that no-one’s picked it up. Because the FA have been badgering and badgering about playing at Old Trafford, and now all of a sudden, we can’t show it.”
An FA spokesperson said: “As part of our current domestic rights agreements, clubs are permitted to show up to three Barclays FA Women’s Super League matches per season that are not selected by host broadcasters.
“The broadcasters had made their picks for this coming weekend ahead of change of venue and as a result, the match will be shown live, for free, on The FA Player to audiences in the UK and abroad.”
