Who Is the Referee for the Community Shield?
Barrott took charge of 30 matches last season, including five involving Arsenal, as the Premier League season opener moves outside England for the first time since 2006.
- On Sunday, August 16, 2026, Arsenal and Manchester City will contest the Community Shield at Principality Stadium, marking the first time in 20 years the season's curtain-raiser takes place outside England.
- A five-night concert tour by The Weeknd at Wembley forced the fixture's relocation to the Welsh capital, which previously hosted six editions of the match between 2001 and 2006.
- Referee Sam Barrott will officiate the match, having overseen 30 games in English football last term, and the 32-year-old official recently refereed the European Championship final between Spain and Germany.
- During the 2023/24 season, Barrott issued 107 bookings across 30 fixtures, maintaining an average of about 3.5 per game, while James Bell will serve as the VAR.
- The relocation has renewed debate regarding whether The Football Association should schedule more non-final matches away from Wembley, as advocates argue that road games improve the national team's connection with supporters.
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The Independent
The Independent (US)When is the Community Shield and why is it not being played at Wembley?
Who is the referee for the Community Shield?
The Community Shield is the traditional curtain-raiser to the English domestic season, pitting the Premier League champions against the FA Cup holders.This year's fixture sees Arsenal face Manchester City, after the Gunners ended their 22-year wait for a Premier League title last term, while the Citizens beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final.The two clubs have developed a tasty rivalry over the past few years, so which referee is tasked with keeping …
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Arsenal and Manchester City raise the curtain on the new Premier League season tomorrow, with the Community Shield up for grabs. The Community Shield is not taking place at its traditional home at Wembley this year because Canadian pop star The Weekend(Abel Makkonen Tesfaye) has booked five nights at Wembley, between August 14 and 19 []The post 2026 Community Shield: Arsenal, Man City set for seasons curtain raiser away from Wembley appeared fir…
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