Relocate the Community Shield to the U.S. to End EPL's Divisive Debate

Anyone questioning the appeal of English soccer in the United States need only look at the scene when Manchester United faced Liverpool in Columbia earlier this month. The small college town, with a population under 140,000, was swamped by fans for the friendly between these two historic rivals. The influx of visitors caused such heavy traffic that thousands were unable to reach Williams-Brice Stadium in time for kick-off.

The 77,000-capacity stadium was eventually packed by the start of the second half, surpassing the attendance from their last Premier League encounter at Old Trafford in April. With tickets originally priced around $100 (£78) and resale prices starting at $152 (£120) on Vivid Seats, the game quickly sold out. This was more than double the cost of a typical Premier League ticket at Old Trafford or Anfield, despite both teams being without many of their international stars.

Roaring success

The high demand for English football in the United States was evident throughout this summer, as no fewer than 10 Premier League teams, alongside League One side Wrexham, undertook pre-season tours. Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, and Aston Villa were among the clubs making the trip.

Seventy thousand fans packed SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles for Arsenal's win over United, while 69,000 attended Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia to watch the Gunners take on Liverpool.

The overwhelming success of these tours has reignited the debate about hosting Premier League matches abroad—a topic that has stirred controversy for over 16 years since Richard Scudamore proposed the idea of a 39th round of fixtures. Although fan backlash and concerns over sporting integrity quashed the proposal in 2008, the growing interest in the sport in the U.S. persists.

An alternative approach could be to bring a competitive match with a trophy at stake to American fans without disrupting the league's tradition or alienating local supporters. A practical solution would be to stage the Community Shield in the United States.

Fading interest

United and City concluded their U.S. tours earlier than many of their Premier League counterparts to prepare for the Community Shield at Wembley. However, there is a growing argument for moving this fixture to the United States.

The Community Shield, with its rich history dating back to 1908, pits the league winners against the FA Cup holders. This format almost always guarantees involvement from top teams, promising a high-profile game and a packed crowd.

Taking the match abroad could revitalize the competition, which has faced criticism for feeling stagnant in recent years. Saturday's fixture is still not sold out, and while Wembley will be well-attended, it will not be completely full. This is the third time in 15 months that United and City will meet at Wembley, which might contribute to a sense of diminished excitement for fans.

The routine nature of playing at Wembley, particularly for City who have featured there 18 times under Pep Guardiola, can lead to a sense of monotony. Previous Community Shield games have also struggled to attract large crowds. The 2021 match between City and Leicester drew only 45,000 spectators, and the 2022 edition was held at King Power Stadium, which has a capacity of just 32,000, due to Wembley hosting the Women's European Championship final. This choice underscores the competition's waning appeal, as a larger venue like Old Trafford or the Principality Stadium was not selected.

Success for Spain & Italy

Spain has rejuvenated interest in its Supercopa de España by expanding it to include four teams and relocating the event to Saudi Arabia. This change has sparked controversy; Athletic Club, Atletico Madrid, and Valencia have criticized the move for straying from tradition, and human rights organizations have condemned the agreement.

There have also been concerns regarding the roles of Luis Rubiales and Gerard Piqué in negotiating the deal, which is valued at around €40 million (£34m/$44m) per season. Despite the controversies, the agreement has significantly boosted the profile of the competition and provided a substantial financial benefit to the Spanish federation, with funds also directed towards grassroots football.

The competition remains highly valued by the teams. For example, Barcelona dismissed coach Ernesto Valverde just days after his team was eliminated by Atletico Madrid in the 2020 semi-finals. The last three finals, featuring Real Madrid and Barcelona, have been intensely competitive and attended by sell-out crowds.

Italy, on the other hand, has been staging its Supercoppa abroad since 1993, when AC Milan defeated Torino in Washington DC. The competition has since been hosted in Libya, New Jersey, China, and Qatar. This year's edition was held in Saudi Arabia as part of a €23 million (£20m/$24m) per season deal that will last until 2028.

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Strong support

The Football Association could generate increased interest in the Community Shield by moving the match to the U.S. Unlike Spain and Italy's international agreements, this move would likely avoid political controversy and reduce player strain, as the clubs likely to contest the Community Shield typically spend their summers in America.

There is considerable backing among football’s influential figures for hosting Premier League games, or at least competitive matches, in the U.S. Jon Miller, a prominent NBC Sports executive, has expressed his desire to see Premier League games played in the States.

"At some point in the future, I would love to see a couple of Premier League games open the season here in big stadiums on our opening weekend," Miller told The Athletic. "And I know that’s something that we’ll continue to push for because there’s an American audience that would like to see regular-season games."

New Jersey governor Phil Murphy has also shown enthusiasm for bringing competitive matches to the U.S., particularly at MetLife Stadium. This venue, which will host the 2026 World Cup final, recently hosted a game between United and Arsenal and a Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Murphy has expressed a strong desire to see more such events in the garden state.

Hesitation from owners

London Mayor Sadiq Khan has voiced his support for taking Premier League games to the U.S., despite the move not benefiting his city directly. “Liverpool, the club I support as Mayor of London, are currently on tour in America,” Khan told The Sports Agents podcast. “They have a large fanbase there. Why shouldn’t those fans have the chance to watch a competitive game?”

However, there is some resistance from club owners, including those based in the U.S. Bournemouth owner Bill Foley told the BBC, “Premier League games in America? No. I believe our current approach with pre-season games is sufficient. We should keep matches in the UK where they belong. I have great respect for our fans and the existing system, and I wouldn’t want to change that.”

Liverpool's American owners also have not been pushing for the idea, with CEO John Henry contradicting earlier comments from Tom Werner, who had shown interest in the concept. Similarly, Manchester City is not considering holding Premier League games abroad at this time.

Make it happen

The Community Shield presents an ideal compromise, offering the best of both worlds. Unlike the Premier League’s broader initiative, it has the support of key stakeholders. According to a 2023 report by The Times, some major clubs view the Community Shield as a potential disruption to their pre-season preparations and money-spinning tours.

Given that many clubs are already touring the U.S. during the summer, concluding their visit with the Community Shield makes practical sense. Rebranding the competition and hosting it abroad was suggested in the Premier League’s 'New Deal for Football' plan, discussed in 2022.

It's time to revisit this idea with renewed seriousness. While few English fans would miss the Community Shield, American supporters would relish the opportunity to see their teams lift a trophy, without affecting the experiences of fans in the UK.