The Football Association has appointed Sam Barrott as the referee for the 2026 FA Community Shield clash between Premier League champions Arsenal and Emirates FA Cup winners Manchester City.
The match will be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday, August 16, with kick-off scheduled for 3pm BST.
The FA announced the appointments on Monday, confirming that Barrott of the West Riding FA will take charge of the season curtain-raiser.
“The match officials for the 2026 FA Community Shield between Manchester City and Arsenal have been appointed,” it read.
According to the release posted on the FA website, Barrott, who officiated at the UEFA Under-19 European Championship this summer, will be “assisted by Craig Taylor of the Staffordshire FA and Blake Antrobus of the Manchester FA.”
