The new English season is on the horizon, and with it comes the traditional curtain-raiser: the FA Community Shield.
It’s a fixture every fan knows. But when we talk about the Community Shield, are we all talking about the same thing? We know about the men's game, but what about the Women's Community Shield? While they share a name and a core concept, their journeys and current realities are worlds apart. Let's break down the real differences.
The Core Concept: A Shared Foundation
On paper, the two competitions are identical twins. They both serve as the ceremonial "super cup" to kick off the domestic season in England. The formula is simple and creates a mouth-watering clash of champions:
The Participants: The match pits the winners of the top-tier league against the winners of the FA Cup. For the men, that’s the Premier League vs. the FA Cup. For the women, it’s the Women's Super League (WSL) vs. the Women's FA Cup.
The "Double" Rule: The rule for when a single team wins both the league and the cup is also the same. In this scenario, the "double" winner will face the runners-up from their respective league.
This shared format is where the similarities end. To understand the two shields, we have to look at their vastly different histories.
The Key Difference: A Century of Tradition vs. A Sporadic History
This is the most significant point of divergence. The disparity in their history and continuity tells the entire story.
The Men's FA Community Shield: A Century-Old Institution
First contested in 1908, the men's shield is a cornerstone of the English football calendar. It has been played annually for over 100 years, paused only for the devastating World Wars. Its consistency has made it a reliable, cherished tradition. It signals the end of the long summer break and the return of competitive football. It is an institution.
The Women's FA Community Shield: An Inconsistent and Troubled Past
The women's competition, by contrast, has had a much more turbulent existence. It was established relatively recently, in 2000, but failed to gain a permanent foothold.
The Hiatus: After an initial run from 2000 to 2008, the competition was shockingly discontinued. For eleven years, between 2009 and 2019, it simply did not happen.
The Brief Revival: In 2020, there was a glimmer of hope. The FA revived the Women's Community Shield, staging it as a high-profile "double-header" with the men's game at Wembley. Chelsea defeated Manchester City in a match that promised a new beginning.
Current Status: Inactive. That new beginning never materialized. The Women's Community Shield has not been contested since that 2020 match. While the men's game remains a calendar highlight, the women's equivalent is currently inactive, its future uncertain.
Prestige and the Wembley Factor
A competition's prestige is built on history and a sense of occasion—two things the men's shield has in abundance.
Since 1974, the men's final has been held almost exclusively at Wembley Stadium. Playing at the national stadium provides a level of grandeur that elevates the match beyond a simple "friendly."
The women's shield never had that luxury. During its initial run, matches were held at smaller club grounds. The 2020 match at Wembley was a monumental step, placing the women's game on the grand stage it deserves. However, because it hasn't been repeated, it stands as an exception rather than the rule. The lack of a consistent, prestigious venue has made it difficult for the women's shield to build its own legacy.
Summary: At a Glance
As we await the new season here in Nigeria, the story of the two shields is a powerful reminder of the wider journey of football. While the women's game has made incredible strides, the disparity between these two trophies shows there is still work to be done. We can only hope the Women's FA Community Shield is reinstated permanently, giving the athletes the consistent, high-profile platform they have more than earned.