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The England national team will embark on their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they attain the anticipated qualification for a championship hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an England men’s match since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to stage the national team for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.

The English side are planned to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their knockout stage opener would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean commencing the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Competition Opening and Demonstration

The championship was inaugurated at an ceremony in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. Key representatives from Uefa and the host FAs were barracked as they approached the location by around fifty protesters, who urged Israel to be kicked out from the sport because of the Gaza crisis.

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

Championship Timeline

The first match of Euro 2028 will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will include the Dragons if they secure a place.

Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be played on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at late afternoon.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will cater to family audiences and help connect with a wider spectrum of audiences.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are set to play their first game at the Aviva Stadium and the Scottish team would do the same at Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will enter the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that miss out on the finals through that route.

Stadiums and Knockout Stage

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground finalize the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches held at each country’s national stadium.

The draw for the qualifiers will be conducted in Belfast, which was dropped as a venue city last year when it became clear Casement Park could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a tournament for the followers and a showcase of everything we cherish about the sport – its passion and capacity to foster unity.”

In excess of three million tickets, a record for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be offered to supporters.