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The England national team will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they achieve the expected qualification for a championship staged throughout the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not staged an England men’s match since May 2016, when the visitors were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to welcome the national team for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, if they top their group, their knockout stage opener would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean commencing the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Championship Launch and Protest

The event was unveiled at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host FAs were heckled as they arrived the venue by approximately 50 activists, who demanded Israel to be expelled from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Placards were displayed with messages saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Schedule

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a game that will include the Welsh team if they secure a place.

Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at 5pm.

It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will cater to households and help connect with a wider spectrum of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are set to play their first game at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be held in reserve for any that miss out on the tournament through that route.

Stadiums and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finalize the event’s nine venues. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals played at each country’s national stadium.

The qualifying draw will be held in Belfast, which was dropped as a venue city last year when it became clear the proposed venue could not be upgraded in time, on a date in late 2026.

Leadership Comment

“It will be a tournament for the supporters and a festival of everything we value about the football – its passion and power to unite individuals.”

In excess of three million admissions, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be offered to supporters.