Arsenal and Manchester City will contest the Community Shield on Sunday, but the traditional curtain-raiser will not take place at Wembley. Instead, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff will host the match, marking the third time the fixture has been played away from Wembley since the national stadium reopened in 2007.
Why is the Community Shield being played in Cardiff?
The move is due to Wembley being booked by The Weeknd from August 14 to August 19 as part of his ‘After Hours Til Dawn’ tour. This scheduling conflict has forced the Football Association to relocate the season’s first major domestic trophy match to the Welsh capital.
The Principality Stadium, known as the Millennium Stadium until 2016, has a capacity of just under 74,000, making it the fourth-largest stadium in the UK. It has previously hosted major English football finals, including the FA Cup final and the Community Shield between 2001 and 2006, and the League Cup final between 2001 and 2007, while the old Wembley was being demolished and the new one built.
Previous Community Shield venues away from Wembley
This will be the third Community Shield to be held away from Wembley since the stadium reopened in 2007. In 2012, Villa Park hosted Chelsea versus Manchester City while Wembley was used for football at the London Olympics. In 2022, Leicester City’s King Power Stadium was the venue for the match between Manchester City and Liverpool, as Wembley was staging the Women’s European Championship final.
Arsenal face a trip of approximately 130 miles from London to Cardiff, while Manchester City will travel around 140 miles from the North West. The distance is a notable logistical factor for both clubs and their fans.
Principality Stadium’s history of hosting big games
The Principality Stadium is no stranger to major football occasions. It hosted the 2017 Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus, which the Spanish side won 4-1. The venue has also been used for Wales national team home games, with the team playing there between 2000 and 2009 before moving most fixtures to the Cardiff City Stadium.
The Welsh rugby team has used the stadium continuously for home games since it opened in 1999. The ground is set to host six matches at Euro 2028, including the opening match and a quarter-final. It is also the only major multi-purpose stadium in the UK with a fully retractable roof, though the roof will be open for Sunday’s Community Shield.
The decision to move the match to Cardiff ensures the Community Shield proceeds as scheduled, but it adds travel demands for both clubs. The match will be the first competitive meeting between Arsenal and Manchester City this season, with both teams aiming to secure the first silverware of the campaign.
