FA Faces 'Embarrassment' After Wigan Sells Just 5,500 Tickets For Community Shield

The FA faces "major embarrassment" after it emerged that FA Cup winner Wigan has sold just 5,500 tickets for Sunday's "showpiece" Community Shield at London's Wembley Stadium, according to Neil Ashton of the London DAILY MAIL. Wigan, relegated from the Premier League last season, "turned down an initial allocation" of 15,000 tickets from the FA after beating Man City in the FA Cup final having taken 25,000 fans to that end-of-season showpiece. Instead, it was given 7,500 tickets to sell for the season's "traditional curtain-raiser" against ManU. However, Wigan's priority "is to get promoted back to the Premier League at the first attempt," and that "has been reflected in the lack of interest" in Sunday's 200-mile trip to London. Although Wembley is "bracing themselves for big empty spaces, they have been surprised by the interest from United supporters in the clash." ManU sold out its initial 38,000 allocation "within days" and requested another 7,500 tickets from the FA (DAILY MAIL, 8/7).