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The English squad will initiate their Euro 2028 journey at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they attain the expected qualification for a championship hosted across most of the United Kingdom and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not welcomed an Three Lions match since eight years ago, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is expected to welcome the national team for their inaugural game on June 10, 2028.

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

Championship Launch and Demonstration

The championship was unveiled at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from Uefa and the host FAs were barracked as they entered the location by around fifty protesters, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from international football because of the situation in Gaza.

Signs were held up with slogans stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Timeline

The opening game of the tournament will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will include the Dragons if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be adopted for European club finals from the upcoming season, will cater to families and help connect with a broader range of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are scheduled to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and the Scottish team would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be reserved for any that do not reach the finals through that route.

Locations and Elimination Phase

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena finalize the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight staged at the national stadium of each host.

The draw for the qualifiers will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a host city last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026.

Official Statement

“This will be a championship for the fans and a celebration of everything we love about the game – its passion and capacity to unite individuals.”

In excess of three million admissions, a all-time high for a Euro tournament, are projected to be released to fans.