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Community Shield: FA confirms men's and women's double-header

Liverpool play Arsenal in men's edition; WSL champions Chelsea take on Manchester City with both games at Wembley on August 29

Fabinho is challenged by Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette
Image: Arsenal play Liverpool in the men's Community Shield

This year's Community Shield will feature the first-ever double header with both men and women's games to be played at Wembley Stadium on August 29.

The first game will feature Women's Super League (WSL) champions Chelsea and FA Cup holders Manchester City in the women's edition, which returns for the first time since 2008 when Arsenal defeated Everton 1-0.

This will be followed by the men's game between Premier League champions Liverpool and FA Cup winners Arsenal. Manchester City won last season's Community Shield by defeating Liverpool 5-4 in a penalty shootout.

Both matches at Wembley will be played without fans in attendance to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The Women's Super League season was cancelled with the FA unable to fund a similar coronavirus testing programme to that of the Premier League and Championship
Image: Chelsea were crowned WSL champions after the season was ended early

"It's a significant move to raise the bar higher by hosting both a women's game and a men's game in what's set to be an exciting day with back-to-back football action," FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said.

The women's game will mark the start of the domestic campaign after the 2019-20 WSL season was abandoned because of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, with Chelsea awarded the title on a points-per-game basis.

The new WSL season is scheduled to start behind closed doors on the weekend of September 5-6, with Chelsea beginning their title defence at Manchester United.

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The men's Premier League season starts on September 12.

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