The 2025 FA Community Shield is set to take place on August 10, 2025, at Wembley Stadium in London, featuring a clash between Premier League champions Liverpool and FA Cup winners Crystal Palace. This annual match marks the traditional curtain-raiser for the English football season.
Liverpool, who secured their spot by winning the 2024-25 Premier League title, will be making their 25th appearance in the Community Shield, aiming for their 17th victory. Their last triumph in this fixture was in 2022 when they defeated Manchester City. Crystal Palace, on the other hand, will be making their debut in the Community Shield, having won their first major trophy by lifting the FA Cup in May.
Liverpool has been active in the summer transfer window, bringing in players like Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, and Milos Kerkez to bolster their squad. However, Darwin Nunez is reportedly on the verge of transferring to Al-Hilal and will not be available for selection. Crystal Palace has been relatively quiet in the transfer market, with the notable additions of defender Borna Sosa and goalkeeper Walter BenÃtez.
In terms of team news, Liverpool's Alisson Becker has rejoined the squad, while Virgil van Dijk has returned to training after recovering from an illness. However, Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley are expected to miss out due to injury. Alexis Mac Allister is in contention but may not be ready to play the full 90 minutes. Ryan Gravenberch is available despite a suspension looming for a sending-off in the previous season. Crystal Palace will be without Cheick Doucoure, Matheus Franca, Caleb Kporha, and Eddie Nketiah.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot acknowledged the threat posed by Crystal Palace, highlighting their counter-attacks, set-pieces, and the individual quality of their forwards. Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner emphasized the positive mindset within his squad, noting that the majority of players from last season are still with the team.
For fans in India, the match will be available on live streaming on Sony LIV and live telecast on Sony TEN 1 and Sony TEN 1 HD TV channels, with the broadcast starting at 7:30 PM IST. In the UK, TNT Sports will broadcast the game live on TNT Sports 1, with coverage beginning at 2 PM BST.
The match referee will be Chris Kavanagh, with Paul Tierney serving as the VAR. As per the rules of the Community Shield, the match will consist of 90 minutes, and if the score is level, a penalty shoot-out will determine the winner; there will be no extra time. Each team can name nine substitutes, with a maximum of six being used.
This match presents Crystal Palace with an opportunity to win their first Community Shield, while Liverpool aims to add another trophy to their collection.
