Why Is the 2026 FA Community Shield Not Being Played at Wembley?

The 2026 FA Community Shield will see Premier League champions Arsenal face FA Cup winners Manchester City on Sunday, August 16, with the traditional season curtain-raiser taking place away from Wembley Stadium.

The Community Shield is normally hosted at Wembley and serves as an annual meeting between the winners of the Premier League and the FA Cup. Arsenal won the 2025-26 Premier League title, while Manchester City lifted the FA Cup after beating Chelsea in the final.

Why is the Community Shield not at Wembley?

The 2026 Community Shield has been moved away from Wembley because the stadium is unavailable due to a scheduled concert by Canadian R&B artist The Weeknd.

The Weeknd has booked Wembley Stadium from August 14 to August 19 as part of his After Hours ‘Til Dawn tour. As a result, the FA Community Shield could not be staged at its traditional London venue.

Instead, the Football Association has selected Cardiff’s Principality Stadium as the venue for the clash between Arsenal and Manchester City.

Principality Stadium to host Arsenal vs Manchester City

Principality Stadium, which has a capacity of 73,931, is the home of Welsh rugby and has previously hosted several major football matches.

The stadium became particularly important during the period when the old Wembley was demolished and the new national stadium was being constructed.

Between 2001 and 2006, Principality Stadium hosted the FA Cup final and the Community Shield. It also hosted EFL Cup matches between 2001 and 2007.

The venue has also staged major European football fixtures, including the 2017 UEFA Champions League final between Real Madrid and Juventus, which Real Madrid won 4-1.

How many times has the Community Shield been played away from Wembley?

The 2026 edition will be only the third time since 2007 that the Community Shield has been played away from Wembley.

In 2012, Villa Park hosted Chelsea and Manchester City because Wembley was being used for the Olympic football tournament.

In 2022, Wembley hosted the UEFA Women’s European Championship final, forcing the Community Shield between Manchester City and Liverpool to move to Leicester City’s King Power Stadium.

The 2026 edition therefore becomes another unusual chapter in the competition’s recent history.

Arsenal and Manchester City battle for the first trophy of the season

Arsenal enter the contest as Premier League champions after finally ending their long wait for the league title. The Gunners had previously finished as runners-up three consecutive times before going all the way in the 2025-26 campaign.

Manchester City, meanwhile, qualified as FA Cup winners after defeating Chelsea 1-0 in the final. Antoine Semenyo scored the decisive goal to secure the trophy for Pep Guardiola’s side.

The Community Shield will therefore provide an early opportunity for both teams to test themselves against high-level opposition before the new Premier League campaign begins.

Martin Keown urges Arsenal to attack Manchester City

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown believes the Community Shield can provide valuable preparation for the season ahead despite often being viewed as a pre-season exhibition fixture.

Keown urged Mikel Arteta’s players to approach the contest with confidence and attempt to win rather than simply treating the match as preparation.

“They don’t need to play with any fear. Now they should be confident and really go after their opponents and not try to defend it, try and go and win it again,” Keown said.

The former Arsenal defender also believes playing in the Community Shield can help players handle the pressure that comes with the opening Premier League fixture.

With Arsenal and Manchester City both competing for the first silverware of the 2026-27 season, the unusual Cardiff setting will add another interesting element to Sunday’s Community Shield clash.