The Football Association has appointed Sam Barrott as the referee for the 2026 FA Community Shield clash between Premier League champions Arsenal and Emirates FA Cup winners Manchester City.
The match will be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday, August 16, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm BST.
The FA announced the appointments on Monday, confirming that Barrott of the West Riding FA will take charge of the season curtain-raiser.
“The match officials for the 2026 FA Community Shield between Manchester City and Arsenal have been appointed,” it read.
According to the release posted on the FA website, Barrott, who officiated at the UEFA Under-19 European Championship this summer, will be “assisted by Craig Taylor of the Staffordshire FA and Blake Antrobus of the Manchester FA.”
“Farai Hallam of the Surrey FA has been appointed as the fourth official, while Alistair Nelson of the Nottinghamshire FA will serve as the reserve assistant referee.
“The Video Assistant Referee team will comprise James Bell of the Sheffield & Hallamshire FA as VAR and Tim Wood of the Gloucestershire FA as AVAR,” it noted.
The fixture will mark Manchester City’s first Community Shield appearance since 2024, with the FA Cup winners seeking their first victory in the competition since that year.
City will also begin a new era under head coach Enzo Maresca following Pep Guardiola’s departure at the end of the season.
Arsenal, meanwhile, will return to the Community Shield for the first time since 2023, when they defeated City on penalties after a goalless draw at Wembley.
The encounter will serve as the official curtain-raiser for the 2026-27 English football season, pitting the reigning Premier League champions against the FA Cup holders.
Last season, Crystal Palace pulled off a stunning upset at Wembley on August 10, 2025, beating Premier League champions Liverpool on penalties to win the 2025 FA Community Shield.
The match ended 2–2 after regulation time before Palace clinched victory 3–2 in the shootout.
