Premier League champions Arsenal and FA Cup holders Manchester City meet at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Sunday in the 2026 FA Community Shield, kicking off at 3pm BST. The fixture doubles as Enzo Maresca’s first competitive match in charge of City following his appointment as Pep Guardiola’s successor, while Mikel Arteta begins the defence of Arsenal’s long-awaited title.
As dawan.africa reported, Arsenal ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League crown last season and also reached the Champions League final. City, meanwhile, claimed both the FA Cup and EFL Cup before Guardiola departed after a decade at the helm.
Maresca’s First Competitive Test
Maresca is no stranger to the club. He previously managed City’s Elite Development Squad and later served as one of Guardiola’s assistants, before spells at Parma, Leicester City and Chelsea, where he won the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup. According to dawan.africa, he has made clear that City intend to win the Community Shield rather than treat it as a pre-season exercise.
City’s squad is in transition. Several experienced players have departed, and the futures of Rodri (linked with Barcelona) and Tijjani Reijnders (expected to join Al Qadsiah) remain unresolved. Manchester City Reject Barcelona’s Second Rodri Offer as Fee Gap Persists Maresca confirmed Rodri has returned to training after back surgery but was cautious about what comes next.
New Arrivals in Both Squads
Per Yahoo Sports, City have bolstered their ranks with Elliot Anderson, who completed a move worth around $155 million from Nottingham Forest, and 17-year-old Jeremy Monga, signed from Leicester City for roughly $18 million. Both could feature on Sunday.
Arsenal handed a debut to Bruno Guimaraes, a signing worth approximately $100 million, in a recent pre-season draw with Como, and the Brazilian midfielder may continue his integration in Cardiff. The Gunners head into the match on a three-game winless run in pre-season, losing to Real Betis and Borussia Dortmund before drawing with Como. City went unbeaten this summer, beating Atletico Madrid and a K League All-Stars XI while drawing with Inter Milan.
Arsenal’s Injury Concerns
Arteta confirmed that Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Martin Zubimendi and Martin Ødegaard are all available despite recent World Cup commitments, as dawan.africa reported. However, William Saliba is ruled out with a back injury sustained at the World Cup, and Jurrien Timber needs more time to recover from a groin problem.
Transfer Window Backdrop
The match takes place against an unsettled transfer backdrop at City. According to the Guardian, City did not submit a bid for Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández before Friday’s 5pm deadline, though new manager Maresca still expects activity before the window closes. Chelsea now anticipate the Argentina midfielder will remain at Stamford Bridge. Manchester City Brace for Tougher WSL Title Defence as Rivals Strengthen
No extra time is scheduled for Sunday’s fixture; a draw at full time goes straight to a penalty shootout. Each side can make up to six substitutions across three windows.
