(Getty)
With the English Premier League Season right around the corner, it’s almost time for the first competitive match of the season. The FA Community Shield is the first match on the calendar, and the 2015 version pits London rivals Chelsea and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium. The match will take place Sunday, August 2 at 3 p.m. GMT, 10 a.m. EST and will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.
The competition, though viewed as a friendly to some, still provides a trophy to the winner. Arsenal, who have struggled to win trophies in the last decade, captured the Community Shield last year in addition to the FA Cup. The Community Shield has a long history dating back to the birth of English Soccer.
Here’s what you need to know about the Community Shield:
The Community Shield Is Played The Week Before The Barclays Premier League Season Starts
Arsenal won the Community Shield last year. (Getty)
Beginning in 1959, the Community Shield has been contested a week before the start of the English Premier League season. The fixture was moved to Wembley in 1974, adding a prestigious element to a match that had been largely viewed as a preseason friendly.
It’s a good opportunity for the teams to work in new signings before the grind of the domestic and continental season begins.
The Fixture Began As The Charity Shield in 1908
Billy Meredith of Manchester United in action during the first ever FA Charity Shield match against Queens Park Rangers. (Getty)
The first official Community Shield event took place in 1908 when Manchester United defeated Queens Park Rangers 4-0 in a replay. At that time, the match involved the winners of the First Division and the Southern League — a semi-professional league that now makes up the seventh and eighth tiers of English soccer.
There have been instances of teams withdrawing from the competition, and, prior to the present format, teams were invited to participate based on accomplishments.
Now, the proceeds of the event — which generates about $1 million in revenue with additional funds being raised — are sent to more than 100 English clubs, which are divided up among local charities.
It Pits The Defending Premier League Champions vs. The FA Cup Winners
West Ham legend Bobby Moore with the FA Cup (L) and the Charity Shield in 1964. (Getty)
The format of the domestic league champion vs. FA Cup winner first began in 1921, but it made several alterations over the next several decades. It settled on its current format in 1993, when draws and shared titles were eliminated and the champions vs. FA Cup holders format continued. Since 1993, six Community Shields have been decided by penalties.
If the same team wins both the Premier League and the FA Cup in the same season, the other spot in the Community Shield goes to the team that places second in the Premier League, or the FA Cup finalist. Chelsea was the last team to accomplish that feat, winning both in 2009-2010.
Manchester United Have 20 Titles, The Most All-Time
Manchester United captured the Community Shield for the 20th time in 2013. (Getty)
One of the most decorated clubs in the world, it would make sense that Manchester United have the most Community Shields of all time. They’ve appeared in 29 of them, winning 20, including five of the last eight. Liverpool is next on the list with 15 titles, with Arsenal right behind them with 13. Arsenal’s opponents Chelsea have just four, the last of which coming in 2009.
A special case of the Community Shield took place in 1950, when the English World Cup team faced Canada at Stamford Bridge.
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