🔗 Share this article

The England national team will embark on their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they attain the expected entry for a competition hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.

Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an English men’s match since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to stage the national team for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

The team are set to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win Group B, their round of 16 match would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean starting the knockouts at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Launch and Demonstration

The tournament was inaugurated at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were confronted as they arrived the site by around fifty pro-Palestine demonstrators, who urged the Israeli team to be kicked out from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.

Signs were held up with messages reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Schedule

The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will include Wales if they qualify.

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

It is anticipated that an afternoon start, which will also be adopted for Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to family audiences and help connect with a more diverse set of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through that route.

Venues and Playoffs

Villa Park and Spurs’ ground finalize the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches staged at every host’s main arena.

The draw for the qualifiers will be held in Belfast, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be upgraded in time, on a date in late 2026.

Official Statement

“It will be a competition for the fans and a celebration of everything we love about the football – its fervor and power to unite individuals.”

In excess of three million admissions, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be offered to attendees.