Villa Park to stage Man City-Chelsea Community Shield clash

Villa Park will play host to this year's Community Shield on 12 August.

Wembley is being used for the previous day's Olympic Games football final.

And that means a switch to the Midlands for the traditional pre-season curtain raiser between Premier League champions Manchester City and FA Cup winners Chelsea.

Villa Park, a long-time FA Cup semi-final venue, also staged England's first home international following the dismantling of the old Wembley.

Community Shield facts

  • The FA Charity Shield was first contested in 1908, when Manchester United were the winners
  • It evolved from the 'Sheriff of London Shield', an annual match played between the top professional team and the top amateur team of the day
  • The 'Charity Shield' became the 'Community Shield' in 2002
  • This year will be 90th contest for the Shield
  • Manchester United have the most outright wins, having lifted it 15 times.

The 43,000 capacity stadium also staged the 1999 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final between Lazio and Mallorca.

"All football fans will know that Villa Park is an iconic stadium with wonderful facilities and a rich heritage of staging England internationals, FA Cup semi-finals and big-occasion games," said Villa chief executive Paul Faulkner.

"We're proud of our pitch - the best in the country - and we are confident that Villa Park will provide a great stage. It's a real honour for the club. It remains one of the most prestigious fixtures in the football calendar."

FA general secretary Alex Horne added: "Villa Park is one of English football's most iconic grounds and has a wonderful tradition of hosting some of the game's biggest matches, including 16 England internationals and 55 FA Cup semi-finals."