Arsenal are officially guaranteed a place in this summer’s Community Shield following Manchester City’s FA Cup final victory over Chelsea on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side secured the trophy after Antoine Semenyo scored the decisive goal in a narrow win, handing City their second major title of the season and setting up another clash with Arsenal before the new Premier League campaign begins.
With Arsenal and Manchester City currently occupying the top two spots in the Premier League title race, the result confirms both clubs will contest the traditional season-opening fixture.
If Arsenal go on to win the league, they will face FA Cup winners Manchester City in the Community Shield. However, if City complete the double by winning the Premier League title as well, Arsenal will qualify as league runners-up.
This year’s Community Shield will not be played at Wembley Stadium. Instead, the match has been moved to the Principality Stadium in Cardiff — the first time the fixture will be hosted there since 2006, when the venue was still known as the Millennium Stadium.
The game is scheduled for Sunday, August 16, exactly one week before the start of the 2026/27 Premier League season, which is expected to begin later than usual due to scheduling adjustments linked to the FIFA World Cup calendar.
Arsenal could face an even busier pre-season if they qualify for the UEFA Super Cup. Mikel Arteta’s side remain in contention for the UEFA Champions League title and could face either SC Freiburg or Aston Villa, who are set to contest the Europa League final.
The UEFA Super Cup is scheduled to take place on August 12 in Salzburg, meaning Arsenal may have little recovery time before the Community Shield showdown against City.
So far, Arsenal have confirmed only one pre-season fixture — a match against Real Betis in Dublin on August 5. Reports also suggest the club is considering a training camp or friendly match in Spain, although plans are yet to be finalised.
The congested summer schedule is also expected to be complicated by the FIFA World Cup, with several Arsenal players likely to return late from international duty ahead of the new season.
Despite the uncertainty around preparations, Arsenal supporters will now look forward to another high-profile encounter with Manchester City as the rivalry between both clubs continues to intensify.
