Why Arsenal vs Man City FA Community Shield will not be played at iconic Wembley Stadium
By Luke Oluoch, August 15, 2026The new season of English top-flight football is set to be officially ushered in with the traditional curtain-raiser: the FA Community Shield, scheduled for this Sunday, August 16, 2026.
The clash has traditionally signalled the start of competitive action on the domestic calendar, even though the lower-tier clubs already kicked off their English Football League fixtures with the first round last weekend.
The encounter pits the Premier League champions against the FA Cup winners, meaning rivals Arsenal and Manchester City will once again renew their rivalry in the season’s first piece of competitive action.
Cardiff’s Principality Stadium in the southern part of the capital has been chosen as the venue for this year’s curtain-raiser, marking the first time since 2006 that Wembley Stadium will not host the event.
Venue change
The change of venue emanates from the temporary unavailability of Wembley Stadium due to pre-booked summer music concerts and pitch restoration work, prompting the FA to move the showpiece fixture to the historic 74,000-seat retractable-roof stadium in South Wales.
The venue previously hosted six Community Shield matches between 2001 and 2006 during Wembley’s initial redevelopment. Arsenal (2 wins) and Liverpool (2 wins) were the most successful teams during this Cardiff period, when the competition was known as the FA Charity Shield, before adopting the name FA Community Shield.
The Gunners defeated Liverpool on penalties in 2020 before producing another shootout victory over Manchester City three years later.
Ahead of the clash, organisers have highlighted key travel updates to help traveling fans navigate precisely to the stadium, and important matchday rules to observe on:
Travel Ahead: With cross-border travel expected from London and Manchester into South Wales, fans are urged to book transport early and allow extra journey time due to city-centre road closures around Cardiff Central Station.
Bag Policies & Turnstiles: Supporters must adhere to strict stadium bag size restrictions and arrive early to clear security checks smoothly before kickoff.
Ticketing & Segregation: Tickets will be distributed strictly through official club allocations for Arsenal and Manchester City, with neutral areas strictly enforced by stadium stewards.
The 2026 final will also mark a new chapter in the rivalry between the two sides, with Manchester City preparing to face Arsenal without Pep Guardiola in charge for the first time since 2016.