We’ll kick off the 2026/27 season by heading to Cardiff for the 2026 Community Shield – a competition we have enjoyed playing in over the years, having won it 17 times.
There have been some memorable moments – including in the Welsh capital – that have helped start the new season in the best possible fashion, something Mikel Arteta is hoping to do against Manchester City.
Ahead of the game, we’ve delved into the archives to bring you six of our best Shield successes to enjoy all over again:
August 9, 1998
Arsenal 3-0 Manchester United
Fresh from winning the Double, we became the first southern club to win the Shield outright since 1962 with a convincing display against the Red Devils. Marc Overmars got the scoring going on 34 minutes when he lashed the ball past Peter Schmeichel, before half-time introduction Christopher Wreh netted at the second attempt to put us in control.
Just as Overmars had done in the FA Cup final at Wembley three months earlier, Nicolas Anelka got on the scoresheet too to seal the Shield on 72 minutes as he raced past Jaap Stam to fire past Schmeichel and add further gloss to the scoreline.
August 1, 1999
Arsenal 2-1 Manchester United
12 months later, we took on a United side boosted by winning the Treble and found ourselves behind on 36 minutes when a David Beckham free-kick crashed off the underside of the bar before Dwight Yorke mopped up the rebound.
However a second-half revival saw us overcome our arch-rivals and end their 33-game unbeaten run. Firstly, Patrick Vieira was fouled by Dennis Irwin in the box, allowing Kanu to tuck home a penalty before the Nigerian striker set up Ray Parlour to crash home what proved to be the winner on 78 minutes.
August 11, 2002
Arsenal 1-0 Liverpool
Having been pipped by the Reds to the FA Cup in Cardiff three months earlier, we exacted a measure of revenge by claiming the Shield at their expense in the Welsh capital.
Debutant Gilberto Silva appeared off the bench at half-time, and after Thierry Henry forced Jerzy Dudek to divert the ball onto the post, the Brazilian latched onto a Dennis Bergkamp cutback to fire home his first Gunners goal in the 69th minute, as we became the first team to win the competition 11 times.
August 8, 2004
Arsenal 3-1 Manchester United
An inspired display by our Invincibles, and Jose Antonio Reyes in particular, helped us clinch the silverware at the Millennium Stadium. The Spaniard almost netted a fine individual solo effort but hit the side-netting, before escaping past the defence again to square for Gilberto to roll home the opener on 50 minutes.
A long-range Alan Smith strike levelled things up five minutes later, but Reyes swiftly responded after a scramble in the box, and then 11 minutes from time Ashley Cole tricked his way into the area and saw a cross cannon off Mikael Silvestre and spin past Tim Howard to put us out of sight.
August 10, 2014
Arsenal 3-0 Manchester City
We recorded the biggest Shield victory since our three-goal success against United in 1998 at their neighbours’ expense thanks to a convincing display, with our first goal coming on 21 minutes when Santi Cazorla produced a composed finish from the edge of the box to find the bottom corner.
Three minutes before half-time Aaron Ramsey tucked home a second, before a rocket from 25 yards from Olivier Giroud dipped over Willy Cabellero in the City goal on the hour mark to seal a fine victory against Manuel Pellegrini’s champions, and allow captain Mikel Arteta to lift the trophy.
August 6, 2023
Arsenal 1-1 Manchester City (4-1 pens)
Our last victory came three years ago, with Arteta this time in the dugout. Having already won the Shield back in 2020 against Liverpool, it looked as though he wouldn’t take us to a second success when, in the 77th minute, Cole Palmer put City into the lead after he curled the ball past Aaron Ramsdale, and the clock ticked deep into stoppage time.
However, after 10 extra minutes, Leandro Trossard saw a shot take a heavy deflection off Manuel Akanji to beat Stefan Ortega and send the final to a penalty shootout. After we were flawless from 12 yards, Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri both missed to allow Fabio Vieira to emphatically blast in the winning penalty to seal our fifth Shield in 10 years.
Watch more classic Community Shield moments – including two successes over Chelsea – in our playlist
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Discover more about our Community Shield history
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