MX23RW : Monday, August 17 17:21:52| >> :120:11182:11182:

Men and women to play Community Shield double header behind closed doors

Men and women to play Community Shield double header behind closed doors
© Reuters
The games will both take place at Wembley on August 29.

Next season's men's and women's Community Shield matches will be played as a behind-closed-doors double header at Wembley, the Football Association has announced.

Both games will take place in front of empty stands at headquarters on Saturday, August 29 after plans to use it as a pilot event for the re-introduction of spectators were shelved.

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: "We are proud to announce the first ever double header of The FA's Community Shield at Wembley Stadium on Saturday 29 August.

"It's a sign of our commitment to the women's game and its growth, to have a curtain raiser that mirrors that of the men, with another high-profile fixture at Wembley Stadium."

The first women's Community Shield since 2008, which will be shown live on BBC1, will be contested between Super League champions Chelsea and FA Cup holders Manchester City and kick off at 12.30pm.

The men's game, the seasons traditional curtain-raiser will see Premier League champions Liverpool lock horns with FA Cup winners Arsenal at 4.30pm and will be screened by BT Sport.

Organisers had considered allowing a limited number of fans into the stadium with sport continuing its efforts to emerge from coronavirus restrictions.

However, after similar tests in county cricket and snooker had to be abandoned due to a rise in Covid-19 cases, they opted not to press ahead.

The World Snooker Championship in Sheffield and a county match between Surrey and Middlesex allowed spectators in as part of a trial, but that was abruptly halted after the government changed their guidance in the wake of an increase in infections.

The government announced last month it hoped to be able to allow fans into Premier League games and other sporting events from October 1, subject to coronavirus guidelines. But it remains to be seen whether that will go ahead.

ID:410054:

Click here for more stories about Arsenal

Share this article now:
Did you know...?
Manchester City players celebrate winning the FA Community Shield on August 4, 2019
Read Next:
Community Shield 'unlikely to be used as a pilot for supporters'
>
Latest Sports Video
Sports Mole Logo
Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole's free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.

rhs 2.0
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
CLiverpool38323385335299
2Manchester CityMan City3926310103376681
3Manchester UnitedMan Utd391912867363169
4Chelsea402161371581369
5Leicester CityLeicester391881367422562
6Tottenham HotspurSpurs4017111264511362
7Wolverhampton WanderersWolves391614952401262
8Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd411612134643360
9Southampton40177165762-558
10Arsenal391414115750756
11Burnley38159144350-754
12Everton381310154456-1249
13Newcastle UnitedNewcastle381111163858-2044
14Crystal Palace381110173150-1943
15Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton38914153954-1541
16West Ham UnitedWest Ham38109194962-1339
17Aston Villa3898214167-2635
RBournemouth3997234066-2634
RWatford39810213767-3034
RNorwich CityNorwich3856272675-4921

Subscribe to our Newsletter


Transfer Talk Daily
Match previews - twice weekly
Morning Briefing (7am UTC)
Ultra close-up image of Kevin De Bruyne [NOT FOR USE IN ARTICLES]Get the latest transfer news, match previews and news direct to your inbox!