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Dates for Arsenal-Man City Community Shield tie and UEFA Super Cup revealed
09th August, 2026 03:43 PM
The new season of European football is set to be officially ushered in with English football’s traditional curtain-raiser, the FA Community Shield, and then the UEFA Super Cup signalling the start of competitive action on the domestic and continental calendars.
Following the conclusion of the 2025/26 season, Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester City will be the first in competitive action when they collide in the 2026 FA Community Shield on Sunday, August 16.
Renewal of Arsenal-City rivalry
The English league curtain-raiser will be held at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, marking the first time since 2006 that Wembley Stadium will not host the event, as reigning champions and title contenders renew their rivalry to start the campaign.
Preseason has provided a valuable opportunity for managers like Mikel Arteta to assess squad sharpness, introduce new tactical ideas, and build team chemistry before this blockbuster tie.
Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhães returned for Arsenal in their 3-1 loss to Real Betis, and the squad has since been further boosted by the return of skipper Martin Ødegaard ahead of their Sunday clash against Borussia Dortmund on August 9, 2026. The Gunners will also face Italian side Como before their Community Shield fixture.
Arsenal’s last Community Shield triumph came in 2023, when a late Leandro Trossard equalizer brought the game against Manchester City to a 1–1 draw, with the Londoners going on to win 4–1 on penalties.
UEFA Super Cup
The UEFA Super Cup final will take place on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, at the Red Bull Arena in Salzburg, Austria.
Meanwhile, the return of European football will be heralded by the ceremonial clash of UEFA’s elite club competitions, the UEFA Super Cup clash, pitting the UEFA Champions League winners against the UEFA Europa League winners.
Back-to-back Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain, who edged Arsenal to retain their title, will face a different English challenge this time in Unai Emery’s Aston Villa (winners of the Europa League).
The match official appointed for the anticipated clash is Mohamed Artan, the Somali referee who previously made headlines during the 2026 World Cup visa process.
Artan was voted Africa’s Best Referee of 2025 by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), in recognition of his consistent performances across the CAF Champions League and international fixtures.
