- Here is the Arsenal vs Man City prediction article for 2026 FA Community Shield final which breaks down form, key players, odds and H2H meetings ahead of the clash.
- The two sides will lock horns on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at the Millennium Stadium
- Kick off set for 5pm EAT.
A mouthwatering fixture awaits on Sunday evening when two English giants, Manchester City and Arsenal, take on each other in the FA Community Shield final at the Millennium Stadium.
Traditionally, the Community Shield has served as the curtain-raiser for the English football season, with the 2026 campaign kicking off in a week’s time.
This weekend’s clash takes place in Cardiff, with the Premier League champions facing the FA Cup winners from last season.
The opener is a rerun of the 2023 English Super Cup, where Mikel Arteta got one over Pep Guardiola on penalties. But the student is no longer facing the master, with Enzo Maresca now waiting in the wings.
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Arsenal come into the new season off the back of winning their first Premier League trophy since 2004, with the Gunners favourites to defend their title after a strong transfer window and plenty of stability, contrasting with the significant changes and uncertainty among several of their rivals.
Arteta’s men won just one of their four official summer friendlies and failed to triumph in any of their final three, although Borussia Dortmund and Como were both bettered on spot kicks after denying Arsenal victory at the Emirates Stadium.
As for City, life without Pep Guardiola begins with a match against the team that has emerged as their new main rival, with Arsenal having finally beaten them to the title last term.
Maresca takes the helm, offering plenty of promise, but the season may not be as straightforward as it appears, with uncertainty continuing over the future of star man Rodri.
Their 1-1 draw with Inter Milan and subsequent penalty loss were preceded by back-to-back 3-1 wins over a K-League XI and Atletico Madrid, the latter of which saw Omar Marmoush bag a brace in the absence of his superior, Erling Haaland.
Only Manchester United (21) have won more Community Shields than Arsenal since the competition’s inception, but the Gunners can match the Red Devils for outright victories.
Man Utd’s 21 triumphs are made up of 17 outright wins and four shared successes, while Arsenal have only split the silverware in one of their 17 previous crownings.
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What time does the Arsenal vs Manchester City match kick off?
The two sides will lock horns on Sunday, August 16, 2026, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff from 5pm East Africa Time.
Arsenal vs Manchester City team news
For Arsenal, they will miss out on some key players, with Jurrien Timber struggling with a groin issue that is expected to keep him out for weeks, while William Saliba faces a far longer absence, measured in months, due to a back problem.
Meanwhile, Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, and Martin Zubimendi are not expected to start the match, given that they have not played a single minute of preseason football.
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Over at Manchester City, Erling Haaland has returned to their training ground in recent days, but much like Rice and his Arsenal teammates, the Norwegian striker is likely to begin the game on the bench because he has had no preseason action at all.
Rodri is still missing as he recovers from back surgery, so Nico Gonzalez and Mateo Kovacic are expected to operate as the two deeper midfielders.
Arsenal vs Man City predicted lineups
- Arsenal: Raya; White, Mosquera, Gabriel, Hincapie; Guimaraes, Lewis-Skelly; Madueke, Odegaard, Tzolis; Havertz
- City: Donnarumma; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, Ait-Nouri; Kovacic, Gonzalez; Savinho, Foden, Semenyo; Marmoush
Arsenal vs Manchester City head-to-head record and current form
Arsenal have a perfect Community Shield record against City, winning all three meetings: 4-0 in 1934, 3-0 in 2014, and on penalties in 2023.
Historically, the FA Cup winners have beaten the league champions in eight of the last ten such clashes. The only exceptions were City’s wins over Chelsea in 2018 and United in 2024.
City won’t lack belief, though. They beat Arsenal twice last season, 2-1 in the league and 2-0 in the EFL Cup final.
Most recent five meetings
- Apr 19, 2026: Man City 2-1 Arsenal (Premier League)
- Mar 22, 2026: Arsenal 0-2 Man City (EFL Cup)
- Sep 21, 2025: Arsenal 1-1 Man City (Premier League)
- Feb 02, 2025: Arsenal 5-1 Man City (Premier League)
- Sep 22, 2024: Man City 2-2 Arsenal (Premier League)
Arsenal current preseason form: WWLLD
Man City current form: DWW
Arsenal vs Man City prediction and betting stats
City won their most recent Community Shield appearance, beating United on penalties in 2024. They have finished as runners-up nine times, with only United (10) losing more finals.
City have only played at the Millennium Stadium once before, a 3-0 UEFA Cup win over TNS in 2003. Arsenal, by contrast, played there more than any other side (10 times) when it hosted matches between 2001 and 2007.
This will be Arsenal’s fifth Community Shield at the ground, where they have two wins (2002 vs Liverpool, 2004 vs United) and two losses (2003 vs United, 2005 vs Chelsea).
With both teams still building up their season momentum, this will definitely be a highly competitive encounter.
Arsenal could have the upper hand here and win the contest, but don’t be surprised if the game goes to penalties, where the winner will ultimately be decided by the side with the better spot-kick takers.