Community Shield clash to be shown free-to-air on ITV for the first time since 2012

Community Shield to be shown on free-to-air television for the first time since 2012 with ITV to broadcast traditional Wembley curtain-raiser between Manchester City and Leicester on August 7

  • The Community Shield will be shown on ITV for the first time since 2012 
  • Manchester City will take on Leicester City in the Wembley season opener 
  • BT Sport have held the rights since 2013 but surrendered them two years ago
  • ITV will also broadcast the FA Cup starting from the 2021-22 campaign 

The Community Shield will return to free-to-air television for the first time since 2012 as the August 7 clash between Manchester City and Leicester will be shown on ITV.

The traditional season curtain-raiser at Wembley, normally played between the Premier League champions and the FA Cup winners, had been televised live on BT Sport in recent years. Highlights of the match were shown on BBC later in the day.

But BT lost the rights to broadcast the FA Cup from the 2021-22 season two years ago, thereby also surrendering the chance to show the Community Shield fixture.

The Community Shield will be shown on free-to-air television for the first time since 2012

ITV will show this year's tie for the first time since Manchester City's 3-2 win over Chelsea

ITV will show this year’s tie for the first time since Manchester City’s 3-2 win over Chelsea

The last Community Shield match shown free-to-air was the 2012 edition of the fixture, which saw City beat Champions League and FA Cup champions Chelsea at Villa Park. 

This year’s tie will take place the weekend before the start of the new Premier League season, with kick-off set for 5pm at Wembley.

Manchester City booked their spot in the match by lifting their fifth Premier League title in May, with manager Pep Guardiola eyeing his third Community Shield title.

Manchester City booked their place in the August 7 encounter by winning the Premier League

Manchester City booked their place in the August 7 encounter by winning the Premier League

City won back-to-back Shields in 2018 and 2019, beating Chelsea and Liverpool respectively in those years.

Leicester, meanwhile, qualified for the match by beating Chelsea in last month’s FA Cup final in dramatic fashion.

Youri Tielemans’ second-half thunderbolt gave the Foxes the lead, with a late Ben Chilwell goal for Chelsea was ruled out for offside courtesy of VAR.

Leicester will face Pep Guardiola's side at Wembley after they beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final

Leicester will face Pep Guardiola’s side at Wembley after they beat Chelsea in the FA Cup final

It was Leicester’s first FA Cup triumph after four failed final appearances, with the latest of those coming in 1969.

The Community Shield is the first fixture planned for the 2021-22 campaign, with the Premier League matches for the new term set to be announced on June 16. 

The current holders of the Shield are Arsenal, who beat Liverpool on penalties last August to claim the prize. It was the Gunners’ 16th triumph in the competition – only Manchester United have more with 21.