Arsenal and Manchester City contest the Community Shield at Cardiff's Principality Stadium today, the traditional curtain-raiser to the new Premier League season. The reigning top-flight champions face the FA Cup holders, giving both sides an early opportunity to make a statement before resuming their title rivalry.
First Premier League title shield in 22 years
Arsenal are familiar with the Community Shield, but this is their first appearance as Premier League champions in 22 years after finishing top of the table last season. Man City, meanwhile, have featured in six of the last eight Community Shield matches, though this is their first in a decade without Pep Guardiola, who stepped down in May and was replaced by former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca. Maresca renews his touchline rivalry with Mikel Arteta.
Venue and kick-off details
Kick-off is at 3pm BST on Sunday August 16, 2026, at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. The match is not at Wembley, its usual home, because Canadian pop star The Weeknd has booked five nights at the stadium from August 14 to 19 for his After Hours Til Dawn Tour.
Team news and how to watch
Bruno Guimaraes is set to make his competitive Arsenal debut after featuring as a substitute in the final pre-season friendly against Como. William Saliba and Jurrien Timber are injured, leaving Arteta to decide between Cristhian Mosquera and youngster Marli Salmon to partner Gabriel at centre-back. Myles Lewis-Skelly is expected to start in midfield alongside captain Martin Odegaard, with Kai Havertz moving into a centre-forward role. Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Martin Zubimendi are set to return to the squad but are unlikely to start after no pre-season minutes due to their World Cup exploits.
Man City are without Rodri, who has been linked with Barcelona and only returned to the club on Friday after his post-World Cup break and a minor back procedure. Erling Haaland returned to training on Thursday but is unlikely to start. Phil Foden, Antoine Semenyo and Omar Marmoush should be available. New £116million signing Elliot Anderson is pushing for a matchday squad place after England's run to the World Cup semi-finals.
In the UK, the game is live on TNT Sports, with coverage starting at 2pm BST on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. Subscribers can stream via the HBO Max app and website. Standard Sport's live blog will have expert analysis from Dom Smith at the ground.
Prediction and head-to-head
A close game is expected, with neither side at full strength in pre-season. A penalty shootout is possible, as four of the last six Community Shield matches have been settled that way, including the 2023 meeting between these teams. However, Man City look sharper, so the prediction is a 2-0 victory for Maresca's side.
Arsenal and Man City have met twice before in the Community Shield, with Arsenal winning both. Overall, Arsenal have 101 wins, Man City 67, and there have been 48 draws. Odds for the match, via UK betting sites, are Arsenal to lift the trophy at 9/10 and Man City at 20/23, subject to change. Gambling can be addictive; always play responsibly and only bet what you can afford to lose. Help is available from BeGambleAware or Gamcare.
