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The English squad will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they attain the anticipated passage for a championship taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not staged an English men’s fixture since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is expected to stage the Three Lions for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are set to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their round of 16 match would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Opening and Protest

The tournament was unveiled at an gathering in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday evening. Key representatives from Uefa and the organizing bodies were confronted as they entered the location by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who demanded the Israeli team to be expelled from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.

Banners were raised with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Schedule

The opening game of the European Championship will be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will involve the Dragons if they make it.

The national stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the title decider, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for European club finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to family audiences and help connect with a broader range of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are due to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will participate in the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through the standard process.

Stadiums and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena finalize the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarter-finals played at the national stadium of each host.

The qualifying draw will be held in Belfast, which was excluded as a host city last year when it emerged Casement Park could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.

Official Statement

“The event will be a championship for the fans and a showcase of everything we value about the football – its emotion and power to unite individuals.”

Over 3 million tickets, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be offered to supporters.