Cardiff has held a Community Shield before. Arsenal beat Manchester United there in August 2004, in front of 63,317 at the Millennium Stadium, as the FA’s own history records. The number matters because this fixture has always been a football occasion before it becomes a line on an August fixture list.
On Sunday 16 August, Arsenal return to Cardiff to face Manchester City at Principality Stadium, six days before the Premier League’s opening match round begins. The FA’s competition announcement calls it English football’s traditional curtain raiser: the champions against the FA Cup winners, kick-off 15:00 BST, live on TNT Sports 1 and HBO Max.
Sam Barrott will referee. The FA’s official appointment notice names Craig Taylor and Blake Antrobus as his assistants, Farai Hallam as fourth official and Alistair Nelson as reserve assistant referee. James Bell is the video assistant referee, with Tim Wood as assistant video assistant referee.
That is the whole confirmed shape of the day. No league points, no replay of last season, just a trophy decided in Cardiff before the league table begins its long work. The Premier League can wait until 21 August. On the Sunday before it, Arsenal and City will play for something that still counts.
