Manchester City supporters group calls on fans to boycott Community Shield clash against Arsenal

A Manchester City supporters group has called on supporters to boycott the Community Shield match against Arsenal after blasting the FA and ITV for treating fans as an ‘afterthought’.

City’s triumph in the Premier League and FA Cup confirmed Arsenal as their opponents for the pre-season silverware clash at Wembley with organisers pencilling the game in a week later than last year’s tie.

Pep Guardiola’s treble-winning side will lock horns with Mikel Arteta’s Gunners in the capital on Sunday, August 6 with the FA deciding upon a 5.30pm kick-off.

The 1894 supporters group has been backed for attempting to organise a boycott, citing ‘significant travel challenges’ for matchday fans that want to make the journey to London.

City and Manchester United fans were hampered by train strikes on the day of the FA Cup final with those in attendance forced to endure lengthy traffic delays on the roads as a result. 

Manchester City will take on Arsenal at Wembley in the Community Shield on August 6

A City supporters group has called on their fanbase to boycott the pre-season silverware clash

Last year’s Community Shield was hosted at Leicester’s King Power stadium with 28,545 Liverpool and Man City supporters making the journey to the midlands.

However, the decision to move the cup tie back to the home of English football has seen the 1894 supporters group call on City fans to miss the match and donate their ticket proceeds to a local food bank instead.

In a message to the Cityzens fanbase, the statement read: ‘1894 urge you to join us in boycotting the Community Shield game against Arsenal on August 6th.

‘The 17:30 kick-off time presents significant travel challenges from Manchester, making it difficult for many loyal supporters to attend. It’s time match-going fans were treated as a priority rather than an afterthought.

City’s 1894 supporters group have blasted the FA and ITV for thinking of fans as an ‘afterthought’

‘By boycotting this fixture, we aim to send a strong message to the FA and ITV about the impact scheduling has on fans. Our collective absence from the stadium will demonstrate our discontent and advocate for fairer game times in the future.

‘We understand the love and dedication you have for City, but we believe that our collective action will bring about positive change.

‘We ask fans, who are in a position to do so, to make either a £10 donation, or the equivalent cost of a match ticket, to MCFC Foodbank or another local charity.’ 

The MCFC foodbank backed the call by labelling the hosting decision as ‘atrocious’ and having been made with ‘zero consideration to supporters’.