On Sunday, August 16, 2026, Premier League champions Arsenal will clash with FA Cup winners Manchester City for the first trophy of the season — the FA Community Shield. The match will kick off at 17:00 Moscow time at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Historical context and Cardiff's lucky charm
For Arsenal, the stadium in Cardiff holds special significance: during the reconstruction of Wembley (2001-2007), the Gunners played 10 matches here and lifted four Community Shields. Overall, Arsenal has claimed the trophy 17 times, second only to Manchester United's 21 titles.
Additionally, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta boasts an unbeaten record in the Community Shield — four wins from four attempts (2014, 2015 as a player; 2020, 2023 as a manager). In head-to-head encounters in this tournament, Arsenal have bested City on all three previous occasions (1934, 2014, 2023).
Manchester City’s reshuffle
For new City manager Enzo Maresca, this match will serve as his official debut at the helm. He'll become the first City boss to have their first official match be the Community Shield.
The pre-season preparations for the Mancunians have been convincing, but the squad is undergoing a transformation:
- Rodri: Will miss out due to advanced transfer talks with Barcelona.
- Absentees: The absence of Bernardo Silva and John Stones will force Maresca to field a revamped combination in midfield and defence.
Build-up to the match
Despite the Gunners bolstering their squad with the additions of Bruno Guimaraes and Christos Tzolis, statistics indicate a worrying trend: in 8 of the last 10 Community Shields, it has been the FA Cup winners who triumphed, rather than the league champions. Given City's strong defensive record (seven clean sheets in the last nine matches), a high likelihood of a draw in normal time could lead to a tense penalty shoot-out.
