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The England national team will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they achieve the anticipated qualification for a competition taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

City’s stadium has not staged an England men’s game since eight years ago, when the visitors were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to welcome the national team for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, should they win the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean commencing the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Kickoff and Rally

The tournament was inaugurated at an event in central London on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were heckled as they approached the site by around fifty activists, who demanded Israel’s national side to be expelled from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were held up with phrases saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Schedule

The first match of Euro 2028 will be held at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a match that will involve the Welsh team if they make it.

Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the title decider, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be used for European club finals from next season, will attract households and help reach a more diverse set of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are set to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will enter the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that miss out on the tournament through the standard process.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground complete the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches played at the national stadium of each host.

The qualifying draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was removed as a host city last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026.

Official Statement

“The event will be a tournament for the fans and a celebration of everything we cherish about the sport – its emotion and ability to unite individuals.”

More than three million tickets, a all-time high for a men’s European Championship, are anticipated to be made available to attendees.