The 2026-27 English football season officially gets underway on Sunday as Premier League champions Arsenal face FA Cup winners Manchester City in the Community Shield at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium.
The fixture is a repeat of the 2023 Community Shield, when Arsenal edged City on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Mikel Arteta’s side will be hoping for another successful trip to Cardiff as they target an 18th Community Shield triumph.
City enter the contest with several players lacking match fitness, but they will be encouraged by their recent 3-2 victory over Atletico Madrid.
Team News
Arsenal remain without Jurrien Timber and William Saliba due to groin and back injuries respectively. Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka and new signing Martin Zubimendi are unlikely to start after missing pre-season action.
Bruno Guimaraes is available to make his full debut, while David Raya should replace Kepa Arrizabalaga in goal.
Manchester City have welcomed Erling Haaland back to training, but the striker is expected to begin on the bench. Savinho is a doubt after missing training through illness, while Rodri remains unavailable following back surgery.
Tijjani Reijnders could also be absent amid transfer developments, leaving Nico Gonzalez and Mateo Kovacic likely to start in midfield. New signing Elliot Anderson is expected to begin among the substitutes.
Possible Lineups
Arsenal possible starting lineup:
Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Hincapie; Guimaraes, Lewis-Skelly; Madueke, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri; Kovacic, Gonzalez; Savinho, Foden, Semenyo; Marmoush
How to Watch
| Platform | Details |
|---|---|
| TV Broadcast | SuperSport Premier League |
| Live Stream | dstv stream |
| Kick-off Time | 15:00(WAT) |
Match Predictions
Softfootball predicts Arsenal 1-1 Manchester City.
