Arsenal and Manchester City begin their campaign this season in an exciting clash for the 2026 FA Community Shield. The match will not be played at Wembley Stadium, as the venue is occupied by another event, so it has been moved to Cardiff, Wales, more precisely to the Principality Stadium.
The stadium has an approximate capacity of 74,500 spectators, and a sold-out crowd is expected, with supporters of both the Gunners and the Citizens filling the stands. The venue is normally used by the Welsh rugby and football national teams.
Between 2001 and 2006, Wembley Stadium was demolished and rebuilt, so the FA Community Shield matches were moved to the Principality Stadium. Now, 20 years later, the trophy will once again be contested there.
Arsenal hold the advantage over City in the FA Community Shield
Arsenal and Manchester City have faced each other three times in the FA Community Shield, with the Gunners holding a perfect record by lifting the trophy on all three occasions. Their first encounter dates back to 1934, when Arsenal secured a dominant 4–0 victory at Highbury.
Leandro Trossard and Declan Rice of Arsenal celebrate following the team’s victory.
Decades later, they met again at Wembley Stadium in 2014, where Arsenal claimed a comfortable 3–0 win with goals from Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey, and Olivier Giroud. Their most recent clash took place in 2023, when Leandro Trossard’s dramatic 101st-minute equalizer canceled out Cole Palmer’s opener, sending the match to a penalty shootout that Arsenal won 4–1.
The most successful team
When it comes to overall FA Community Shield success, Manchester United lead the all-time standings with 21 titles. Arsenal sit firmly in second place as one of the competition’s most dominant sides with 17 trophies, boasting an exceptional track record that includes three head-to-head victories over Manchester City.
By contrast, the Citizens lag considerably behind with 7 titles, reflecting the dramatic historical gap between both clubs in England’s traditional season-opener.
