FA Appoints Referee for Arsenal vs. City Community Shield

The English FA has officially appointed Sam Barrott from the West Riding FA as the referee for the 2026 FA Community Shield clash between Premier League champions Arsenal and FA Cup winners Manchester City. The match is set to take place at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday, August 16, 2026, with a kickoff scheduled for 3 PM BST.

Barrott, who officiated at the UEFA U19 European Championship in the summer, will be supported by Craig Taylor from Staffordshire FA and Blake Antrobus from Manchester FA as assistant referees. Farai Hallam from Surrey FA will serve as the fourth official, while Alistair Nelson from Nottinghamshire FA will act as the reserve assistant referee.

The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team will include James Bell from Sheffield Hallamshire FA and Tim Wood from Gloucestershire FA as the assistant VAR. This match will be significant for Manchester City as it marks their first Community Shield appearance since winning the FA Cup, while Arsenal returns to the Community Shield for the first time since 2023.