Why the FA decided to change the Community Shield name after 94 years
Today, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal takes on last season’s FA Cup winners, Manchester City, in the Community Shield final. But you might wonder—why did the FA change the name of this event after 94 years?
Last season, Arsenal finally beat Pep Guardiola’s City team to win the Premier League title after coming close several times. They finished second to Manchester City in 2022-23 and 2023-24, then lost to Liverpool in 2024-25, but this time Arsenal wouldn’t be stopped.
Manchester City earned their spot by beating Chelsea in the FA Cup final, completing a domestic double since they also beat Arsenal for the Carabao Cup last season.
The event began back in 1908 as the Charity Shield, created to raise money for charity, and it’s always been held as a curtain-raiser to the English football season, featuring the top teams.
Arsenal have won the Shield 17 times, more than any other team, with their last win in 2023 against Manchester City.
Manchester City have played in five of the last six matches. They lost to Leicester in 2021, Liverpool in 2022, but won against Manchester United in 2024.
In 2002, the Charity Shield was renamed the Community Shield because the FA didn’t fully meet charity law requirements. The Charity Commission said the FA hadn’t clearly stated how much money went to charity, though all the funds had been given as promised—35% of ticket sales.
Even though the name changed, money from the game still goes to charities and local community projects across the UK. When the FA explained the change, they said: “We want to make sure good causes keep getting support through the Community Shield.”
Since 1974, Wembley Stadium has usually hosted the game, except for 2022 when it was at King Power Stadium because of the Women’s Euro final, and the upcoming 2026 match, which will be held at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.
Normally, the game is between the Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners, but if one team wins both, the league runner-up takes the other spot. That’s why Arsenal and Liverpool often compete.
Though many see the Community Shield as just a glorified friendly, the teams usually take it seriously. If Arsenal wins today, they’ll hold the record with 18 Shield titles. If Manchester City wins, they’ll get their eighth.
Here’s a quick look at recent results:
2025: Crystal Palace 2-2 Liverpool (3-2 on penalties)
2024: Manchester City 1-1 Manchester United (7-6 on penalties)
2023: Arsenal 1-1 Manchester City (4-1 on penalties)
2022: Liverpool 3-1 Manchester City
2021: Leicester 1-0 Manchester City
2020: Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool (5-4 on penalties)