Track Tickets
Arsenal begin August 2026 as reigning Premier League champions, and the month is built accordingly: two Emirates Stadium fixtures, a Community Shield in Cardiff, and a Friday night under the lights to open the title defence. Add a Spanish opener and a Dublin friendly and it is seven matches inside five weeks.
Here is the full schedule, fixture by fixture. Everything listed is covered on our Arsenal tickets page.
Arsenal fixtures in August 2026
| Date | Fixture | Kick-off | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| [date] | Girona v Arsenal | 20:00 | Friendly | Estadi Montilivi, Girona |
| Wed 5 Aug | Arsenal v Real Betis | 19:30 | Friendly | Aviva Stadium, Dublin |
| Sun 9 Aug | Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund | 14:00 | Emirates Cup | Emirates Stadium |
| Wed 12 Aug | Arsenal v Como 1907 | 19:30 | Friendly | Emirates Stadium |
| Sun 16 Aug | Manchester City v Arsenal | 15:00 | Community Shield | Principality Stadium, Cardiff |
| Fri 21 Aug | Arsenal v Coventry City | 20:00 | Premier League | Emirates Stadium |
| Mon 31 Aug | Aston Villa v Arsenal | 20:00 | Premier League | Villa Park |
Times are local to each venue. Kick-offs can still move, particularly the league fixtures, where broadcast scheduling has the final say.
Pre-season: Girona and Dublin
Girona v Arsenal — Estadi Montilivi
The summer opens in Catalonia at the Estadi Montilivi, one of the smallest and most intimate grounds in La Liga. A 20:00 kick-off in early August makes for a warm evening and a low-key first run-out — useful for supporters combining the trip with a few days on the Costa Brava, since Girona is around forty minutes from Barcelona by high-speed rail.
Arsenal v Real Betis — 5 August, Aviva Stadium
Dublin next, and a step up in profile. The Aviva Stadium holds just over 51,000, and Real Betis bring one of the most vocal travelling supports in Spanish football. A Wednesday evening kick-off in Dublin city centre — the ground is a fifteen-minute walk from Grand Canal Dock — makes this the most accessible overseas fixture of the summer for supporters based in Britain and Ireland.
The Emirates Cup and a Como visit
Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund — 9 August, Emirates Stadium
The Emirates Cup returns, and the draw could hardly be better: Borussia Dortmund and their Yellow Wall support at a full Emirates Stadium on a Sunday afternoon.
This is also one of the more realistic ways into the Emirates all season. Pre-season fixtures see far wider availability than league matches, when members and season-ticket holders account for most of the 60,704 seats. Arsenal tube station on the Piccadilly line is a few minutes from the turnstiles, with Finsbury Park and Highbury & Islington both within walking distance. Availability is on our Arsenal v Borussia Dortmund page.
Arsenal v Como 1907 — 12 August, Emirates Stadium
Three days later Como 1907 visit for a Wednesday evening fixture, the last outing before the season proper. Expect something close to a first-choice eleven and the Emirates under lights, which remains the best version of the ground.
Community Shield: Manchester City v Arsenal — 16 August, Cardiff
The season's first trophy, and this year it is in Wales. The Community Shield takes champions Arsenal to the Principality Stadium against Manchester City — a 73,000-capacity venue in the middle of Cardiff, a short walk from Cardiff Central.
It is the pick of the month: a genuine trophy, a genuine rival, and a neutral venue that puts both sets of supporters in the same city centre for the day. Tickets are listed on our Community Shield page, with team-specific listings under Arsenal.
Premier League: the title defence begins
Arsenal v Coventry City — 21 August, Emirates Stadium
Friday night, Emirates Stadium, champions' banner unfurled. Opening the defence of a first title in two decades in front of a home crowd, under floodlights, against newly promoted Coventry City, is about as good as a fixture list gets.
A 20:00 Friday start means a full day in London beforehand and a late finish — worth factoring in if you are travelling back the same night. Current listings are on our Arsenal v Coventry City page.
Aston Villa v Arsenal — 31 August, Villa Park
The month closes with a Bank Holiday Monday night at Villa Park, one of the more demanding away trips in the division. Aston Villa have made this fixture consistently awkward, and a 20:00 kick-off in front of a full Holte End is not the gentlest end to an opening month.
Villa Park is around two miles from Birmingham city centre, with Witton and Aston stations both a short walk away. Away allocations here go quickly, so book early and be sure to select the away section.
Planning your trip
- Two late Emirates kick-offs. The Como friendly and the Coventry opener both start in the evening — check last trains if you are travelling from outside London.
- Cardiff fills up. Community Shield weekend puts two large followings in one city centre. Book accommodation well ahead.
- Friendlies move. Pre-season fixtures are the likeliest to shift in date, time or venue. Confirm before booking non-refundable travel.
- League dates can move too. Both Premier League fixtures are subject to television rescheduling.
Arsenal tickets
Tickets for Arsenal's August 2026 programme — the Emirates Cup, the Community Shield and both Premier League fixtures — are listed on LiveFootballTickets, alongside every other match in London this season. Emirates availability is at its widest for the pre-season fixtures and tightens sharply once the league begins.
Every order is covered by our 150% money-back guarantee. If this is your first booking with us, our how it works page walks through the process from checkout to ticket delivery.
Frequently asked questions
When do Arsenal play their first Premier League match of 2026/27?
Friday 21 August 2026 at home to Coventry City, kicking off at 20:00 at the Emirates Stadium.
Where is the 2026 Community Shield played?
At the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on Sunday 16 August 2026, with a 15:00 kick-off against Manchester City.
How many pre-season fixtures do Arsenal play in August 2026?
Four: Girona away, Real Betis at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, and Borussia Dortmund and Como 1907 at the Emirates Stadium.
Is the Emirates Cup part of the August schedule?
Yes — Arsenal face Borussia Dortmund at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday 9 August, kicking off at 14:00.
What comes after August?
Arsenal host Chelsea on 5 September before travelling to Sunderland on 12 September.
