The English Team to Launch Euro 2028 Journey at the Etihad Stadium

The England national team will embark on their 2028 European Championship adventure at the Manchester City’s stadium, assuming they achieve the relatively straightforward qualification for a tournament hosted across most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

Manchester City’s home ground has not staged an Three Lions match since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to stage the England side for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are planned to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, if they top their group, their knockout stage opener would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean beginning the elimination stage at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Kickoff and Demonstration

The championship was inaugurated at an ceremony in a London landmark on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were heckled as they entered the location by around fifty activists, who demanded the Israeli team to be removed from international football because of the situation in Gaza.

Banners were raised with slogans saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Schedule

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be staged at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will feature Wales if they secure a place.

Wembley will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a start time at 5pm.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will appeal to family audiences and help connect with a broader range of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would play similarly at Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will take part in the qualifying tournament; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that miss out on the tournament through that route.

Locations and Playoffs

Villa Park and The North London arena complete the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals staged at each country’s national stadium.

The qualification draw will be held in Belfast, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.

Tournament Vision

“It will be a tournament for the followers and a showcase of everything we love about the sport – its fervor and power to foster unity.”

In excess of three million passes, a record for a men’s European Championship, are anticipated to be made available to fans.