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Premier League champions Arsenal began their 2026/27 season by winning the FA Community Shield for the 18th time in their history, beating the Emirates FA Cup winners Manchester City 3-0 in Cardiff. Story of the match Calafiori gives the Champions the lead in a flash With the target on their backs as Champions, Arsenal began on fire, taking the lead inside 30 seconds, Myles Lewis-Skelly picking up the ball on the edge of the area, and threading a superb ball through to Riccardo Calafiori, with the Italian full-back placing it low into the bottom left corner. The Gunners were on top in the opening 10 minutes, Martin Ødegaard leading the counter-attack, but his pass towards the right wing where Noni Madueke was waiting fell short, and the end-to-end nature of the game continued. City’s first real chance came 18 minutes in, their record signing Elliot Anderson whipping a very inviting cross into the box, which, for once, Erling Haaland did not anticipate, with Jeremy Doku unable to prevent it trickling out for a goal-kick. Moments later, Maresca’s side came again, Phil Foden having a go from the edge of the area, which David Raya managed to get a strong left glove on and push away from danger before Nico O’Reilly’s foul on Ben White stopped play for a free-kick. Havertz doubles the Arsenal lead Kai Havertz's header completed a brilliant first half for Arsenal (Photo by Ian Cook - CameraSport via Getty Images) Arsenal’s dominance paid dividends, as they doubled their lead in the 27th minute; Ødegaard’s cross to the back post was headed back across goal by Christos Tzolis and headed home from close range by Kai Havertz. The champions had scored with their first two shots, an efficiency that they had lacked last season despite finally winning the league title. Raya was required once again to deny Erling Haaland from close range, and Arsenal failed to clear the ball, with a last-ditch block then required from Ben White to deny Jeremy Doku. Arsenal nearly had a third right on half-time; Kai Havertz's low cross was palmed away by Donnarumma, but only as far as the Gunners captain, Ødegaard, who slid in, but had his trickling effort cleared off the line. That chance brought an end to a sensational half for Mikel Arteta’s side. City had some good moments, but were second best throughout the opening 45. Both sides made alterations at half-time, with Jack Grealish making his first City appearance since May 2025, replacing Doku, while Declan Rice also came on for his first minutes of the season, replacing Bruno Guimarães. Ødegaard adds a goal to a sensational performance Ødegaard celebrating a first goal of the season (Photo by David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images) Ødegaard made it 3-0 two minutes after half-time, completely embarrassing Donnarumma. Tzolis played a low ball across, and Arsenal’s captain picked it up before he dummied a shot, and sat the Italian keeper on the ground before passing it into the corner. Both O’Reilly and Erling Haaland were taken off a few minutes after half-time, with Omar Marmoush and Marc Guehi replacing them. Soon after, both sides made a double change, with Anderson and Foden taken out for Rico Lewis and Rayan Cherki. Calafiori came off for Piero Hincapié, while Bukayo Saka made his first appearance since his hat-trick against France for England in the FIFA World Cup bronze medal match. Ødegaard’s phenomenal performance continued, letting the ball run past him, taking Lewis out of the game completely, before playing one wide to Saka, who managed to turn Joško Gvardiol, tried to beat Donnarumma from a tight angle, only finding the side netting. City had not really offered anything from an attacking perspective in the second half; Cherki’s shot from range, which was pushed away by Raya, was their first shot on target of the half, coming in the 73rd minute. Saka almost had a fourth, meeting Hincapié’s low cross, but he was unable to keep it down. City then went up the other end and had a chance of their own, with Cherki’s lovely footwork laying the ball inside to Antoine Semenyo, with his powerful effort forcing another good save from Raya. Who do both sides start the season against? Arsenal opened their season, keeping a clean sheet, as they claimed the Community Shield for the third time in the 2020s, and the Champions added that trophy to go alongside the Premier League title. They start the defence of that crown next Friday (August 21st) at home to newly promoted Coventry City. It was the biggest winning margin in the curtain raiser since 2014, when Arsenal replicated that scoreline against Manchester City. For City, it’s a telling sign of the gap between the teams, as they prepare to begin their new era under Maresca at home to Bournemouth, who denied them the title with a 1-1 draw in the penultimate game of 2025/26 on Sunday, August 23rd.