Arsenal and Manchester City are set to renew their rivalry when they face each other in the 2026 FA Community Shield on Sunday, with the first silverware of the new English football season up for grabs.
Premier League champions Arsenal will take on FA Cup winners Manchester City at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. The fixture will also mark a new beginning for City, with Enzo Maresca taking charge of the club for the first time in a competitive match following Pep Guardiola's departure.
For Mikel Arteta's Arsenal, the game offers an opportunity to start the new campaign with a trophy after ending their 22-year wait for the Premier League title last season.
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Arsenal vs Manchester City Community Shield 2026: Match Details
Match: Arsenal vs Manchester City
Competition: FA Community Shield 2026
Date: Sunday, August 16, 2026
Kick-off: 7:30 PM IST
Venue: Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
The match is being played in Cardiff instead of Wembley this year because the London stadium is unavailable due to scheduled events. It is only the third Community Shield since Wembley reopened in 2007 to be staged outside London.
Arsenal vs Man City: What's At Stake?
Although the Community Shield is traditionally viewed as the curtain-raiser to the English season, neither side will want to miss the chance to begin the campaign with a trophy.
Arsenal come into the contest as Premier League champions after finally ending their long wait for the league title. Arteta will be keen to see his side carry that momentum into the new campaign.
Manchester City, meanwhile, will be looking to make a statement under Maresca. The former Chelsea manager has taken over from Guardiola and will get his first opportunity to win silverware with the club.
The game therefore carries an added layer of intrigue beyond the usual Community Shield battle.
Arsenal Team News
Arsenal have received a boost ahead of the game with Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and Martin Zubimendi all available after returning to training following extended breaks after the World Cup.
Arteta confirmed that the trio could feature, although their lack of pre-season minutes means their involvement from the start remains uncertain.
Jurrien Timber remains unavailable as he continues his recovery from a groin injury, while William Saliba is also sidelined with a back problem.
New signing Bruno Guimaraes is expected to make his full debut for the Gunners.
Arsenal Predicted XI
David Raya; Ben White, Cristhian Mosquera, Gabriel, Piero Hincapie; Bruno Guimaraes, Myles Lewis-Skelly; Noni Madueke, Martin Odegaard, Christos Tzolis; Kai Havertz.
Manchester City Team News
Manchester City will enter the game with plenty of attention on Maresca and how he sets up his new-look side.
Erling Haaland has returned to training but is expected to begin the game on the bench after missing City's pre-season preparations. Savinho is also a doubt after recently dealing with illness.
Rodri remains unavailable following back surgery, leaving City with a different look in midfield.
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Manchester City Predicted XI
Gianluigi Donnarumma; Matheus Nunes, Ruben Dias, Josko Gvardiol, Rayan Ait-Nouri; Mateo Kovacic, Nico Gonzalez; Savinho, Phil Foden, Antoine Semenyo; Omar Marmoush.
Arsenal vs Man City: Live Streaming In India
Indian football fans can watch the 2026 Community Shield live on Sony Sports Network.
The match will also be available for live streaming on SonyLiv through its app and website.
India: Sony Sports Network
Live Streaming: SonyLiv
Kick-off in India: 7:30 PM IST