Arsenal and Manchester City will contest the Community Shield on Sunday, but the traditional curtain-raiser to the English football season will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff rather than Wembley. The switch is due to The Weeknd's 'After Hours Til Dawn' tour, which has booked Wembley from August 14 to August 19.
Why Wembley is unavailable for the Community Shield
The Weeknd's concerts at Wembley, scheduled for mid-August, have forced the Football Association to relocate the match. As a result, Arsenal will travel approximately 130 miles from London to Cardiff, while Manchester City will make a 140-mile journey from the North West. This marks the third time the Community Shield has been played away from Wembley since the national stadium reopened in 2007.
Previous relocations include the 2012 edition at Villa Park, where Chelsea faced Manchester City while Wembley hosted Olympic football, and the 2022 match at Leicester's King Power Stadium, when Wembley was staging the Women's European Championship final. The 2022 game saw Liverpool beat Manchester City 3-1.
Principality Stadium's history with major finals
The Principality Stadium, formerly known as the Millennium Stadium, has a rich history of hosting English football's showpiece events. It was the venue for the FA Cup final and the Community Shield between 2001 and 2006, and for the League Cup final between 2001 and 2007, during the construction of the new Wembley. The stadium also hosted the 2017 Champions League final, where Real Madrid defeated Juventus 4-1.
Wales used the Millennium Stadium for home games between 2000 and 2009 before moving most fixtures to the Cardiff City Stadium. The Welsh rugby team has played at the venue since it opened in 1999. With a capacity of just under 74,000, it is the fourth-largest stadium in the UK and will host six matches at Euro 2028, including the opening game and a quarter-final.
Sunday's match details
The Principality Stadium is the only major multi-purpose stadium in the UK with a fully retractable roof, though it will be open for Sunday's match. The game kicks off at 3pm BST and will be broadcast live on ITV1. Arsenal are looking to win the Community Shield for a record 17th time, while Manchester City aim for their seventh title. The match is expected to draw a near-capacity crowd, with tickets sold out within hours of release.
The outcome of the Community Shield has historically been seen as a potential indicator for the season ahead, though its predictive power is debated. Both managers are expected to field strong line-ups, with Arsenal's new signings and City's star-studded squad set to feature. The match will be the first competitive meeting between the two sides since their Premier League clashes last season, where City won both encounters.
