The kick-off time for the Community Shield has been changed by the FA and moved forward to 4pm to avoid a boycott from Arsenal and Manchester City fans. The clash is set to take place on Sunday, August 6, however the original 5:30pm start time created a stir amongst supporters.
Those who have to travel were not best pleased about making the journey to Wembley Stadium on a Sunday evening, with trains after the game likely to be limited. This led to the potential for a boycott from supporters, with fan groups coming together to state their intention of not attending the game in protest.
The change to the 4pm kick-off time has brought the game forward by 90 minutes, with a statement from the FA reading: "The 2023 FA Community Shield between Manchester City and Arsenal at Wembley Stadium will now kick off at 16:00 BST on Sunday 6 August. The new earlier kick off time for the traditional 'curtain raiser' of the domestic season has been agreed following consultation with our broadcast partners, the local authorities, police, and the competing clubs.