Why the Community Shield is being held outside of England for the first time in 20 years

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The Community Shield is the traditional curtain-raiser to the English season (Image credit: PA)

The Community Shield will not take place in England this season as Wembley Stadium is hosting a concert on the same day as the annual fixture.

This year's Community Shield sees Premier League champions Arsenal take on FA Cup winners Manchester City at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday, August 16.

The fixture was moved from London to Wales because Wembley is hosting the third of five successive shows by pop superstar The Weeknd that same day, which means it will be played outside of England for the first time since 2006.

Community Shield returns to Wales due to Weeknd gig

The Weeknd performs on stage at Parken Stadium on June 20, 2026 in Copenhagen, Denmark

The Weeknd is playing at Wembley Stadium on the day of the Community Shield (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Community Shield is the traditional curtain-raiser to the English domestic season and sees the Premier League winners face the FA Cup holders on the weekend before the new campaign begins.

The match has been held away from Wembley just twice since the stadium reopened in 2007, but was played at the Principality Stadium for six successive years between 2001 and 2006 while the London venue was being rebuilt.

Jamie Carragher (L) and Steven Gerrard of Liverpool hold the trophy following their team's win in the FA Community Shield against Chelsea at the Millennium Stadium on August 13, 2006 in Cardiff, Wales

Jamie Carragher (left) and Steven Gerrard after Liverpool beat Chelsea in the Community Shield in 2006 (Image credit: Getty Images)

The previous Community Shield in Cardiff saw FA Cup winners Liverpool beat Premier League champions Chelsea 2-1 in August 2006, when Peter Crouch scored a late winner after Andriy Shevchenko cancelled out John Arne Riise's early strike.

Other than the years when it was being rebuilt, this year will be just the third time since 1974 that Wembley has not hosted the fixture.

The first was in 2012, when the Community Shield was played at Villa Park because the national stadium was one of the football venues for the London 2012 Olympics. City beat Chelsea 3-2 that day.

The other was four years ago in 2022, when Liverpool beat City 3-1 at Leicester City's King Power Stadium because Wembley was hosting the 2022 Women's European Championship final between England and Germany the day after.

Arsenal fans will have fond memories of the Principality Stadium, having seen their team win three FA Cup finals there when the ground was known by its original name, the Millennium Stadium.

Crystal Palace were victorious in the season's curtain-raiser

Crystal Palace were victorious in last season's curtain-raiser (Image credit: Getty Images)

The Gunners beat Chelsea 2-0 in 2002 on their way to doing the Double, then overcame Southampton 1-0 the following season.

Arsene Wenger's side also edged past Manchester United on penalties in 2005 following a 0-0 draw after extra-time.

Crystal Palace are the Community Shield holders having followed their 2025 FA Cup win by beating Liverpool 3-2 in a shoot-out 12 months ago, after the game ended 2-2.

Freelance writer

James Roberts is a freelance sports journalist working for FourFourTwo and other titles. He started his career at the Oxford Mail, where he covered Oxford United home and away, before becoming a sports sub-editor for various national newspapers.

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