🔗 Share this article

The England national team will initiate their 2028 European Championship adventure at the the home of Manchester City, assuming they achieve the relatively straightforward qualification for a championship hosted across most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an English men’s game 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 Three Lions for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

England are planned to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, should they win their group, their round of 16 match would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Launch and Rally

The event was launched at an event in a London landmark on Wednesday night. Key representatives from Uefa and the host football associations were heckled as they approached the location by around fifty activists, who urged the Israeli team to be kicked out from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Tournament Schedule

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will include Wales if they qualify.

Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a commencement at 5:00 PM.

It is anticipated that an earlier start, which will also be adopted for European club finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help reach a more diverse set of audiences.

Host Nations

The Irish team are due to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that miss out on the finals through the qualification path.

Locations and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals held at the national stadium of each host.

The qualifying draw will be held in Belfast, which was excluded as a venue city last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be renovated in time, on December 6, 2026.

Leadership Comment

“This will be a championship for the fans and a showcase of everything we cherish about the game – its passion and ability to unite individuals.”

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