Season Archive

Charity Shield

A face-off between the Champions and the Cup Winners. If the same team wins the League and Cup double, Cup winners are replaced by the Cup’s runners-up.

The first Charity Shield match was played in 1908, it succeeded the Sheriff of London Charity Shield, which was first played in 1898, a Shield which Liverpool won once. Charity Shield games were played on the Cup holders’ home ground until 1974 when it was moved to a neutral venue, to be more exact Wembley and then the Millennium Stadium. Liverpool beat Leeds 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the first Wembley final. From 1977-1993, if the game finished in a draw, both teams would share the Shield for six months each. It is now decided by a penalty shoot-out.

Teams could deny playing in the Shield. In 1971/72, Liverpool replaced champs Arsenal, but Liverpool waivered their right to play in the Shield in the 1973/74 season.

Charity Shield was renamed Community Shield in the 2002/2003 season.