2012 FA Community Shield
Encyclopedia
The 2012 FA Community Shield is a football match expected to be played on 12 August 2012 between the winners of the previous season's Premier League
and FA Cup
competitions.
The 2012 Community Shield will not be played at its usual venue, London's Wembley Stadium
, as the stadium is due to host the final of the 2012 Olympic football tournament
on the same weekend as the proposed date for the Community Shield. Instead it will be played at Aston Villa's
home ground Villa Park
, in Birmingham
.
(FA) agreed that the Community Shield would not be played in London, igniting speculation that the Community Shield would follow suit with the Supercoppa Italiana
and be played overseas. Despite the financial incentive, the FA announced that Community Shield would be held in England.
In previous years when Wembley has been unavailable, the Millennium Stadium
in Cardiff
, was used to host major events, however it's use was not seen as viable due to its hosting of other Olympic football matches in the days leading up to the Shield. The venue which had been seen as most likely to host the event was the 75,957-capacity Old Trafford
stadium in Manchester
, which hosts its final match at the 2012 Olympics on 7 August, although St James' Park
in Newcastle
, the Stadium of Light
in Sunderland, the City of Manchester Stadium
, Anfield
in Liverpool
and Villa Park
in Birmingham
were also suggested, particularly in the event that Manchester United qualify for the event. However, on 1 August 2011, it was announced that Villa Park would host the Shield, as the other, larger venues would "still be in Olympic mode".
2011–12 Premier League
The 2011–12 Premier League is the twentieth season of the Premier League since its establishment in 1992. The 2011–12 fixtures were announced on 17 June 2011 at 9:00 BST. The season began on 13 August 2011 and is due to end on 13 May 2012...
and FA Cup
2011–12 FA Cup
The 2011–12 FA Cup will be the 131st season of the world's oldest association football knock-out competition. The closing date for applications was 1 April 2011, and saw 825 clubs apply to enter...
competitions.
The 2012 Community Shield will not be played at its usual venue, London's Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium
The original Wembley Stadium, officially known as the Empire Stadium, was a football stadium in Wembley, a suburb of north-west London, standing on the site now occupied by the new Wembley Stadium that opened in 2007...
, as the stadium is due to host the final of the 2012 Olympic football tournament
Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics
Football at the 2012 Summer Olympics is scheduled to be held in London and several other cities in the United Kingdom, from 25 July to 11 August. The finals will be played at Wembley Stadium. Associations affiliated with FIFA are invited to send their full women's national teams and men's U-23...
on the same weekend as the proposed date for the Community Shield. Instead it will be played at Aston Villa's
Aston Villa F.C.
Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
home ground Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
, in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
.
Venue
In order to avoid clashing with the Olympics, The Football AssociationThe Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
(FA) agreed that the Community Shield would not be played in London, igniting speculation that the Community Shield would follow suit with the Supercoppa Italiana
Supercoppa Italiana
The Supercoppa Italiana is a pre-season football competition held the week before the season begins in Italy every year. It is contested by the winners of the Serie A and the Coppa Italia in the previous season, as a curtain raiser to the new season. It is usually played at the home of the Serie A...
and be played overseas. Despite the financial incentive, the FA announced that Community Shield would be held in England.
In previous years when Wembley has been unavailable, the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
in Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, was used to host major events, however it's use was not seen as viable due to its hosting of other Olympic football matches in the days leading up to the Shield. The venue which had been seen as most likely to host the event was the 75,957-capacity Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
stadium in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, which hosts its final match at the 2012 Olympics on 7 August, although St James' Park
St James' Park
St James' Park, known for sponsorship reasons as the Sports Direct Arena, is an all-seater stadium in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. It is the home of Newcastle United Football Club and is the sixth largest football stadium in the United Kingdom with a capacity of between 52,387 and 52,409.St James'...
in Newcastle
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
, the Stadium of Light
Stadium of Light
The Stadium of Light is an all-seater football stadium in Sunderland, England. With space for 49,000 spectators, the Stadium of Light has the fifth-largest capacity of any English football stadium. The stadium primarily hosts Sunderland A.F.C. matches...
in Sunderland, the City of Manchester Stadium
City of Manchester Stadium
The City of Manchester Stadium in Manchester, England – also known as the Etihad Stadium for sponsorship purposes– is the home ground of...
, Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
and Villa Park
Villa Park
Villa Park may mean:United Kingdom* Villa Park, an association football stadium in Birmingham, EnglandUnited States* Villa Park, California, a small city in Orange County* Villa Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago in DuPage County...
in Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
were also suggested, particularly in the event that Manchester United qualify for the event. However, on 1 August 2011, it was announced that Villa Park would host the Shield, as the other, larger venues would "still be in Olympic mode".