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The English squad will initiate their 2028 European Championship adventure at the Manchester City’s stadium, on the condition that they secure the expected passage for a tournament taking place in the majority of the UK and the Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an England men’s fixture since May 2016, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to stage the England side for their first match on June 10, 2028.

The English side are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their last-16 tie would take place at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Kickoff and Demonstration

The event was unveiled at an event in a London landmark on Wednesday night. Key representatives from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were heckled as they approached the site by about 50 protesters, who demanded Israel’s national side to be expelled from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Tournament Schedule

The first match of Euro 2028 will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will involve the Welsh team if they qualify.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be played on a Sunday in July 2028 with a commencement at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will attract families and help reach a broader range of fans.

Host Nations

The Ireland are scheduled to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and the Tartan Army would do the same at Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that miss out on Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Locations and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena finalize the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches staged at every host’s main arena.

The qualification draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a venue city last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“It will be a competition for the supporters and a festival of everything we value about the football – its emotion and capacity to foster unity.”

In excess of three million tickets, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be released to attendees.