The 2026 FA Community Shield between Arsenal and Manchester City will be played at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Sunday, August 16, with kick-off at 3pm. This marks the first time the stadium has hosted the match in 20 years.
The event traditionally takes place at Wembley, but pre-planned concerts in August mean it moves to Cardiff. The Principality Stadium previously hosted six Community Shield games between 2001 and 2006 while the new Wembley was being built.
Road closures from 10am to 8pm
To ensure fan safety, the city centre will see road closures from 10am until 8pm. From 7am, Scott Road and Park Street will close to prepare Gate 5 and protect queuing fans.
The full city centre road closure will affect: Kingsway (from North Road to Duke Street), Cowbridge Road East (from Cathedral Road to Westgate Street), Tudor Street (from Clare Road to Wood Street, with access for residents and traders via Fitzhammon Embankment), and Plantagenet Street and Beauchamp Street (from Despenser Place to Tudor Street, with resident and trader access).
These roads will be closed entirely: Duke Street, Castle Street, High Street, St Mary Street, Caroline Street, Wood Street, Central Square, Westgate Street, Quay Street, Guildhall Place, Golate, Park Street, Havelock Street, and Scott Road.
Bus, train and parking changes
Station Terrace and Guildford Street (from Newport Road to Churchill Way) will be bus-only during closure times. Penarth Road will close 30 minutes before the game ends and up to an hour after, for safety around the railway station.
Part of the Civic Centre will have controlled access all day, affecting King Edward VII Avenue, Museum Avenue, City Hall Road, College Road, and Gorsedd Gardens Road. Station Terrace will close from 4.30pm to 6.30pm for Queen Street Station safety.
Transport for Wales will run extra services to and from Cardiff, with later trains for event staff. Valleys and Vale service fans will be directed to Queen Street instead of Cardiff Central, but mainline services, including Ebbw Vale, will still use Cardiff Central. Queuing starts at 4.45pm at both stations, with an accessible queue at Cardiff Central.
The Cardiff Bus Interchange will close with the road closures, reopening at 8pm. Both Cardiff Central car parks will close for station enhancements, but the multi-storey car park stays open. Saunders Road taxi rank closes from 9.45am to 11.59pm, and St Mary Street taxi rank closes at 10am, reopening at 8pm.
