The traditional curtain-raiser for the English domestic season, this year’s Community Shield on Sunday (4pm BST) features last season’s Premier League top two: champions Arsenal and runners-up Manchester City, who booked their spot in this game by winning the FA Cup.
Normally, the Community Shield would be the first Wembley occasion of the campaign – but this year, it’s taking place over 100 miles away at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
Why is the 2026 Community Shield not being played at Wembley?
The Community Shield would normally be played earlier in August – but as a result of this summer’s extended World Cup, that wasn’t possible this year.
As such, Wembley was booked this weekend – by Canadian pop star The Weeknd, who is playing five nights at England’s national stadium between Friday 14th August and Wednesday 19th August.
This won’t be the Principality Stadium’s first time hosting the Community Shield, though – it was staged there (back when it was called the Millennium Stadium) from 2001 to 2006 while Wembley was being rebuilt.
Where else has the Community Shield been played?
A whopping 18 other grounds have staged the Community Shield since it began way back in 1908 at Stamford Bridge – where the first four editions took place.
Manchester United’s Old Trafford and Newcastle’s St. James’ Park are among the other host venues, along with the likes of Highbury and Goodison Park – former homes of Arsenal and Everton respectively.
Four stadiums have held the Community Shield this century alone, with Wembley and the Principality Stadium joined by Villa Park – which hosted in 2012 due to Wembley being used for the Olympic men’s football final – and the King Power Stadium – used in 2022 as Wembley was staging the Women’s Euro final.
