Premier League clubs are pushing for the Community Shield not to be the season opener as it has traditionally been – with the Premier League winners and FA Cup winners playing for the first trophy of the season.
There are now proposals for the match to be played abroad or as an All-Star game, The Times reports.
The future of the traditional match now hangs in the balance as it is up for discussion in the Premier League’s “New Deal Football” scheme, which deals with changes to the football calendar after 2024.
The Community Shield is organized by the FA to raise funds for various grassroots charities and projects. It is played on the Sunday before the first round of the Premier League season.
Community Shield mid-season?
The top clubs believe the Community Shield is interfering with their preparations for the new season, plus the game is hindering their lucrative pre-season trips abroad. Several proposals are now being launched regarding the future of the game. These proposals also include playing the match as part of the Premier League’s first round or mid-season.
It has also been suggested that the match be played abroad, such as the United States or China, to promote the English Premier League globally. Another idea, promoted by at least one club, is for the Community Shield to become an All-Star Game, with every Premier League club having at least two players. The team will then face a similar team from other European leagues.
The New Deal plan also calls for the FA Cup replay to be removed from the third and fourth rounds of the tournament.
The FA was not consulted about dropping these matches or proposing the Community Shield move, but it is the FA’s Board of Directors that ultimately have to make these decisions.
If the Community Shield is moved, it will also create space for the proposed new pre-season tournament in the United States, which according to plans will include six clubs from the English Premier League, which will play in several different American cities. The English Premier League has previously organized the Asian Cup, a similar summer tournament in the Far East.
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