The FA Community Shield is an annual match in England at Wembley Stadium between the previous season's Premier League champion and the holder of the FA Cup. All proceeds from the game are donated to community charities and initiatives around the country.
The 2020 Shield will look a little different — partly because it will be held behind closed doors as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic and partly because both the men’s and women’s matches will be on the same day.
The Community Shield was once expected to be the test run for welcoming fans back into stadiums. With recent outbreaks and an inevitable second wave of infections looming, the FA decided to keep the matches behind closed doors. Fans are encouraged to support their teams digitally.
Both matches are set to kickoff back to back on Saturday, Aug. 29. The football mania will begin with the women’s game at 7:30 a.m. EST starring Chelsea vs. Manchester City. Chelsea is coming in as the WSL champion and Man City as the FA Cup champion.
This will be the first women’s Shield match since the 2008 match between Arsenal and Everton.
The men’s game will take place almost immediately after the women’s, with kickoff set to be at 11:30 a.m. EST. Current Premier League champion Liverpool will face off against FA Cup winner Arsenal.