🔗 Share this article

England’s men’s team will initiate their Euro 2028 journey at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they achieve the anticipated passage for a championship hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an English men’s fixture since May 2016, when the visitors were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is almost certain to welcome the England side for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their last two group stage games at Wembley, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their last-16 tie would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Kickoff and Protest

The championship was unveiled at an event in a London landmark on Wednesday night. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were barracked as they arrived the site by about 50 activists, who urged the Israeli team to be removed from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.

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

Tournament Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will feature Wales if they secure a place.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.

It is anticipated that an afternoon start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to family audiences and help engage a broader range of viewers.

Participating Countries

The Irish team are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that miss out on the tournament through that route.

Stadiums and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground round out the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches held at every host’s main arena.

The draw for the qualifiers will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a venue city last year when it emerged Casement Park could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a competition for the fans and a celebration of everything we love about the football – its fervor and power to foster unity.”

In excess of three million admissions, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be offered to supporters.