The match officials for the 2026 FA Community Shield between Manchester City and Arsenal have been appointed.
Referee Sam Barrott will lead the teams out in Cardiff on Sunday 16 August (3pm BST), as the Emirates FA Cup winners City take on the Premier League champions Arsenal in the 2026-27 season curtain-raiser.
City will be under the charge of new head coach Enzo Maresca following the departure of Pep Guardiola at the end of the season, and will be looking for their first Shield victory since 2024 after missing out on last year's edition.
For Arsenal, this is their first appearance in the Shield since 2023 when they beat City on penalties after a 0-0 draw at Wembley.
Barrott, who has been officiating at the UEFA U19 EURO Finals this summer, will be assisted by Craig Taylor and Blake Antrobus, while Farai Hallam will be the fourth official at Principality Stadium.
VAR will also be in place for the game, with James Bell and Tim Wood on duty.
Match Officials
Referee: Sam Barrott (West Riding FA)
Assistant Referees: Craig Taylor (Staffordshire FA) and Blake Antrobus (Manchester FA)
Fourth Official: Farai Hallam (Surrey FA)
Reserve Assistant Referee: Alistair Nelson (Nottinghamshire FA)
VAR: James Bell (Sheffield & Hallamshire FA)
AVAR: Tim Wood (Gloucestershire FA)
