After weeks of transfer activity, friendly matches and pre-season training, competitive football is finally back. The UEFA Super Cup has already opened the European season. On Sunday, it is England's turn to officially launch its campaign with a fixture that has all the hallmarks of a Premier League clash: Arsenal against Manchester City, for the Community Shield.
The English champions against the FA Cup winners. And above all, two teams heading into this new season with profoundly different stories to tell.
Arsenal want to deliver on their promise
The Gunners arrive with an unprecedented status: that of English champions. Mikel Arteta now has a title to defend and a squad that appears to have taken a decisive collective step forward.
The transfer window has not turned the team upside down. Bruno Guimarães brings a new dimension to midfield, while the other signings are primarily there to add depth to the bench and intensify internal competition. Arteta therefore retains the core that helped him claim the title.
Pre-season, however, revealed a team still finding its rhythm. Arsenal alternated between the very good and the less convincing: a commanding 4-1 win against Girona, then more mixed results against Betis, Dortmund and Como. The final match against Como ended 1-1, before a penalty shootout win.
Key players have nevertheless returned at the right time. Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi are all available for Sunday. Arsenal head into this season with the clear ambition of playing a leading role on all fronts.
Manchester City open a new era
On the other side, the change is considerably more profound. Pep Guardiola has left. Enzo Maresca takes charge. For the first time in a decade, Manchester City begin a season without Guardiola in the dugout — and his very first official match will be precisely against the English champions.
Maresca is not starting from scratch, however. He knows the club and retains certain fundamentals from the previous era: ball control, intelligent use of space, and a desire to dominate possession.
His early pre-season sessions have nonetheless revealed an intention to add more verticality. Omar Marmoush and Antoine Semenyo have shown a promising partnership, while Elliot Anderson provides a new option in midfield.
And then there is Jérémy Doku. The Belgian international has just extended his contract until 2031: City are clearly counting on him as part of their new project.
Rodri, the other major storyline
It is impossible to paint a picture of the new City without mentioning Rodri. The Spanish midfielder will not play on Sunday, still in the process of recovering from back surgery. But his future now goes beyond the purely medical question.
Barcelona are pushing to sign him, and City have already rejected two offers. When asked about the matter, Maresca did not close the door:
'Anything can happen.'
The situation therefore remains open as the transfer window enters its final straight.
In goal, Gianluigi Donnarumma is establishing himself as number one, with Gerónimo Rulli arriving to provide back-up cover following James Trafford's departure. City continue to reshape their squad while launching their new cycle.
Two teams, two situations
Arsenal possess something City no longer has: continuity. The Gunners know their manager, their principles, their patterns of play. City, meanwhile, must learn to operate with a new head coach, new faces and several unresolved issues still hanging in the air.
Manchester City nevertheless possess a collective experience that few squads can match, and Maresca does not arrive short of ideas. This Community Shield will already raise some essential questions: will Maresca's City still resemble Guardiola's? Have Arsenal genuinely reached a new level? What role for Doku? And above all, how good is City without Rodri?
The first trophy is already up for grabs
The Community Shield is not yet the Premier League. But it marks the end of the period where everything can be explained away by pre-season preparation. On Sunday, there will be a trophy to lift.
- Arsenal, English champions, defend their status.
- Manchester City, FA Cup winners, inaugurate a new era.
- Enzo Maresca takes charge of his very first official match in the City dugout.
- Mikel Arteta intends to prove that his team is ready to go and claim more.
And behind them, the entire Premier League is waiting its turn. The 2026-2027 season truly begins now.
Practical information
- 📅 Sunday 16 August
- ⏰ 3pm GMT — 4pm in France
- 🏟️ Principality Stadium, Cardiff
In France, the match will be broadcast on beIN SPORTS. In Senegal and across several African markets, it will also be accessible via CANAL+ and SuperSport depending on the territory.
Arsenal vs Manchester City: the first major appointment of a season that is already showing great promise.
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