The 2026/27 English football season will formally get underway as Arsenal take on Manchester City in the Community Shield - but there will be a new look to the historic match this year.
The match, as ever, pits the Premier League champions against the FA Cup winners, meaning Arsenal are set to return to the fixture for the first time since 2023 as they look to lift it for the 18th time.
City, meanwhile, are regulars in the showpiece, having played in four of its last five editions.
The match is traditionally held under the iconic arch at Wembley Stadium, but this year it will not take place in London, nor even in England.
Instead, the Principality Stadium in Cardiff will host the tie, meaning it will leave the nation's capital for just the second time since 2013.
It will not be the first time the match has been staged there, though. The 73,931-capacity Principality Stadium hosted five Community Shields on the spin between 2001 and 2006, two of which were won by Arsenal.
And the FA have now confirmed the date and kick-off time for the fixture.
The 2026 Community Shield will get underway at 3pm BST on Sunday, August 16.
Like the FA Cup, it will also be broadcast by TNT Sports, with coverage also available via HBO Max.
The match will likely present supporters a first proper look at their teams before the Premier League season gets underway, with both Arsenal and City expecting considerable squad turnover.
It also remains to be seen who will be in the dugout for City, with Pep Guardiola’s successor yet to be confirmed.
