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When is the 2026/27 Community Shield? Why is it in Cardiff? How to watch Arsenal v Manchester City live on TNT Sports and HBO Max
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Published 04/06/2026 at 17:02 GMT+1
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English football’s traditional curtain-raiser will kick off the coming season, and the 2026 FA Community Shield promises a heavyweight clash at Principality Stadium.
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Premier League champions Arsenal will trade blows with FA Cup winners Manchester City in a blockbuster encounter that offers both sides the chance to secure the first piece of silverware of the new campaign.
For Arsenal, it sees Mikel Arteta at the helm once again, while City will have a new boss in the dugout after Pep Guardiola’s departure.
Adding to the drama, this year’s fixture breaks away from its traditional home. Here is everything you need to know about the 2026 Community Shield, from the venue change to head-to-head history, and how to watch all the action unfold.
When is the 2026 Community Shield?
The 2026 FA Community Shield will take place on Sunday, August 16, 2026. Kick-off is officially scheduled for 15:00 BST.
The showpiece event slots into the diary one week before the 2026/27 Premier League campaign gets underway over the weekend of August 22.
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Why is the 2026 Community Shield in Cardiff?
For the first time in two decades, the Community Shield is heading to Wales.
The match has been moved away from Wembley Stadium due to a scheduling clash at the national stadium in London, which is hosting pre-planned concerts by global pop superstar The Weeknd on the same weekend.
Because of the calendar shift for the upcoming domestic season, the FA selected Cardiff's Principality Stadium (previously known as the Millennium Stadium) as the neutral host.
Boasting a retractable roof and a capacity of around 74,000, the stadium regularly hosts international rugby and football events for the Welsh national teams.
Has Cardiff hosted the Community Shield before?
It certainly has. Cardiff became the regular home of English football's major showpieces at the turn of the millennium.
Principality Stadium hosted the Community Shield for six consecutive years between 2001 and 2006 while the new Wembley Stadium was under construction.
Arsenal have particularly fond memories of the Welsh capital from that era, having contested four Shields there, lifting the trophy in both 2002 and 2004.
Moving the fixture away from Wembley is not entirely unprecedented in recent years. Ahead of the 2022/23 season, the 2022 Community Shield between Manchester City and Liverpool was moved to Leicester City’s King Power Stadium due to the UEFA Women’s Euro final taking over Wembley.
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Have Arsenal played Man City in the Community Shield before?
Arsenal and Manchester City share plenty of history in this competition, with their upcoming 2026 meeting marking their third Community Shield battle in just over a decade.
Their latest Shield encounter came in 2023, when a late Leandro Trossard equaliser rescued a draw for Mikel Arteta’s side before The Gunners triumphed 4-1 on penalties.
Go back to 2014, and Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal secured a comprehensive 3-0 victory over City thanks to goals from Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Olivier Giroud.
The first meeting took place in 1934 at Highbury Stadium, with Arsenal 4-0 winners.
City will be desperate to flip the script in Cardiff and break Arsenal's enduring hold over them in the season's traditional opener.
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How to watch the 2026 Community Shield
Football fans will not have to miss a single minute of the action. The 2026 FA Community Shield will be broadcast live in the UK exclusively on TNT Sports.
Subscribers can stream the entire matchday presentation, including comprehensive pre-match analysis and post-match reaction, live via TNT Sports or HBO Max.
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Stream the Premier League, men’s and women’s FA Cups, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more live on TNT Sports and HBO Max
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