The Community Shield: A Chance for Champions to Start the New Season Strong
The FA Community Shield is an annual football match played between the winners of the previous season's Premier League and FA Cup competitions. It is the traditional curtain-raiser to the English football season, and is usually played at Wembley Stadium.
The Community Shield was first played in 1908 as the Sheriff of London Charity Shield, and was originally contested between the winners of the Southern League and the Northern League. In 1913, the match was renamed the Charity Shield, and the Football League champions were invited to participate. The FA Cup winners joined the competition in 1921.
In 1965, the Charity Shield was renamed the FA Community Shield, and the match was moved to Wembley Stadium. The match was also opened to non-league clubs for a brief period in the 1970s.
The Community Shield has been won by 49 different clubs, with Manchester United being the most successful team with 21 wins. Arsenal have won the trophy 16 times, while Liverpool have won it 14 times.
The current holders of the Community Shield are Liverpool, who defeated Manchester City 3-1 in the 2022 edition.
The Community Shield is a popular event, and is usually well-attended. The 2022 match between Liverpool and Manchester City attracted a crowd of 89,472, which was the highest attendance for a Community Shield match since 2009.
The Community Shield is also a significant financial event, with the participating clubs sharing the gate receipts. In 2022, the match generated £3.2 million in revenue, which was shared between Liverpool and Manchester City.
The Community Shield is an important part of the English football calendar, and is a chance for the champions of the previous season to show their credentials ahead of the new season. The match is also a great opportunity for fans to see their favorite teams in action, and to enjoy a day of football at Wembley Stadium.
Here are some additional facts about the FA Community Shield:
- The longest winning streak in the Community Shield is six, which was achieved by Arsenal between 1930 and 1935.
- The most goals scored in a Community Shield match is 11, which was achieved in the 1933 match between Arsenal and Sheffield Wednesday.
- The most recent replay in the Community Shield was in 2002, when Arsenal and Liverpool drew 1-1 after extra time. The replay was won by Arsenal 2-1.
- The Community Shield has been won by a non-league club on three occasions: Tottenham Hotspur (1909), Wolverhampton Wanderers (1911) and Notts County (1971).
The FA Community Shield is a historic and prestigious competition, and is a great way to start the English football season. The match is always competitive, and is sure to provide excitement for fans of both teams.
The 2023 FA Community Shield:
- The match will be played on Sunday, August 6, 2023, at Wembley Stadium in London.
- The match will kick off at 15:00 BST (10:00 ET).
- The match will be televised live in the UK on ITV1 and ITVX.
- The match will be contested by Manchester City and Arsenal.
- Manchester City qualified for the Community Shield as winners of the 2022-23 Premier League.
- Arsenal qualified for the Community Shield as runners-up of the 2022-23 Premier League.
This will be the 101st FA Community Shield, and the first time that Manchester City and Arsenal have met in the competition since 2014. Arsenal won that match 3-0.
The Community Shield is a great opportunity for both teams to start the new season with a trophy. Manchester City will be looking to defend their Premier League title, while Arsenal will be hoping to build on their recent progress under Mikel Arteta.
The match is sure to be a close contest, and it will be interesting to see which team comes out on top.
Here are some other things to keep an eye on for the 2023 FA Community Shield:
- The form of both teams going into the match.
- The availability of key players.
- The weather conditions.
- The atmosphere at Wembley Stadium.
The 2023 FA Community Shield is sure to be a great start to the new English football season. I'm looking forward to it!
