Reigning Premier League champions Arsenal will meet FA Cup holders Manchester City in the Community Shield at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, which hosts this iconic event for the first time since 2006.
Arsenal earned their 25th Community Shield appearance (W16, D1, L7) by winning the Premier League last term, ending a 22-year wait for top-flight glory. They will be keen to lay down a marker for 2026/27 having spent significantly in the summer, notably signing Bruno Guimarães and Christos Tzolis to further strengthen their squad.
Only Manchester United (21) have won or shared more Community Shields than their 17 and the Gunners have won each of their last five of these one-off games, which ought to give Mikel Arteta’s side some encouragement at the back-end of a pre-season that has so far produced mixed results.
The Cityzens haven’t always delivered on this particular stage, having won only seven of their 16 Community Shield appearances (L9), and they will need new leaders to emerge after releasing Bernardo Silva and John Stones in the summer to make space for new club-record purchase Elliot Anderson, who they’ll be hoping becomes the core of a trophy-winning midfield.
Manchester City have lost just one of the last six H2Hs (W2, D3), winning the last two 2-1 and 2-0. Arsenal won all three Community Shield meetings in 1934, 2014 and 2023.
Five of the last seven Community Shields were decided by a penalty shootout.
Eight of the last ten Community Shields between Premier League winners and FA Cup winners were won by the FA Cup holders.
Credit: flashscore.com
