The FA have confirmed a change for next season’s Community Shield. The traditional plan will not be followed this time.
The match usually takes place at Wembley Stadium. It is seen as the curtain-raiser for the new season.
It features the Premier League winners against the FA Cup champions. So, it is always a key fixture before the campaign begins.
However, this time there is a scheduling issue. Wembley will not be available for the match.
The stadium has already been booked for a series of concerts. The Weeknd will perform across multiple nights in August.
So, that has forced the FA to make an alternative arrangement. Also, the calendar has shifted slightly. The Premier League season will start later than usual.
That change is partly due to the extended 2026 World Cup. As a result, the usual dates no longer fit.
The FA confirmed this in an official statement. They explained that Wembley is unavailable during the planned weekend. The statement read:
“The 2026 FA Community Shield will be played at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday 16 August.
“The ‘curtain raiser’ for the new football season is traditionally played on the weekend before the Premier League begins.
“Due to alterations to the 2026-27 football calendar, next season’s Premier League will begin over the weekend of Saturday 22 August, and Wembley Stadium connected by EE is unavailable on Saturday 15 and Sunday 16 August due to pre-planned concerts.
“The Welsh national stadium has a rich history of hosting major football events, including the FA Community Shield on six occasions between 2001 and 2006, and it provides a neutral venue for the competing clubs as well as one of the largest capacities in the United Kingdom for fans to attend.
“Further details about the 2026 FA Community Shield, which sees the winner of the Emirates FA Cup take on the Premier League champions, will be announced at the earliest possible opportunity following the conclusion of the 2025-26 football season.”
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