Arsenal and Manchester City meet today in the 2026 FA Community Shield, English soccer traditional curtain-raiser pitting the reigning Premier League champions against the FA Cup holders.
This year’s edition will be played at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, marking the first time the fixture has been staged there in 20 years. The 74,500-capacity venue steps in as host for a match that has called Wembley home in all but a handful of editions since 2007.
The two sides arrive with plenty of history in this competition. Arsenal have won all three of their previous meetings against City in the Community Shield — in 1934, 2014 and most recently in 2023, when the Gunners prevailed 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Manchester City, meanwhile, head into the match under new manager Enzo Maresca, who officially took over this summer as the club begins life after Pep Guardiola.
Both squads are expected to field a mix of first-team regulars and players easing back in following extended World Cup breaks, as they look to kick off the new season with silverware already on the line.
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Why the match isn’t being played at Wembley
The Community Shield has been held at Wembley every year since 2007, with only a couple of exceptions, but this year’s edition had to find a new home.
According to organizers, Wembley Stadium is unavailable due to a pre-scheduled run of concerts by The Weeknd, forcing the FA to relocate the match to Principality Stadium in Cardiff — the same venue that hosted the fixture the last time it left Wembley two decades ago.
