Arsenal Lift the Community Shield.

The FA Community Shield traditionally brings together the English Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners. Arsenal dominated the contest, with Riccardo Calafiori opening the scoring in the 23rd minute after being set up by Lewis-Skelly. Kai Havertz doubled Arsenal’s advantage in the 28th minute, finishing from a pass by new signing Christos Tzolis.

Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard then added a third goal just three minutes into the second half, once again benefiting from Tzolis’ creativity. 

The defeat was also the first loss suffered by Manchester City under their new manager, Enzo Maresca, who replaced Pep Guardiola.

The victory continues Arsenal’s remarkable record against Manchester City in the Community Shield. The two sides first met in the competition in 1934, when Arsenal won 4-0. They met again in 2014, with Arsenal claiming a 3-0 victory. In 2023, Arsenal once again came out on top, winning 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. In 2026, history repeated itself as Arsenal secured another 3-0 victory.

With the Community Shield now in their hands, Arsenal fans will be hoping the trophy is a sign of another successful campaign. The Gunners will be aiming to defend their Premier League title in the 2026-27 season after ending a 22-year wait for the league championship in the previous campaign.

The new Premier League season will begin on August 21, 2026. Arsenal will open their campaign at 9:00 p.m. local time against newly promoted Coventry City. Manchester City will begin their season on August 23, 2026, at home against AFC Bournemouth at 3:00 p.m. local time.

Other major clubs will also be in action during the opening weekend. Manchester United will be hosted by the newly promoted Hull City on August 21 at 1:30 p.m. local time. Liverpool will travel to face Newcastle United on August 23 at 5:30 p.m., while Chelsea will close the opening round on August 24 with an away match against Fulham at 9:00 p.m.

Arsenal’s Community Shield triumph has therefore set the stage for an exciting new Premier League season, with fans eager to see whether the Gunners can turn their strong start into another title winning campaign.