🔗 Share this article

The England national team will commence their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they achieve the expected passage for a tournament staged throughout the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not staged an Three Lions fixture since eight years ago, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is expected to welcome the national team for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The team are planned to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, if they top Group B, their knockout stage opener would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean commencing the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Opening and Demonstration

The tournament was inaugurated at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host FAs were heckled as they approached the location by around fifty protesters, who called for Israel’s national side to be kicked out from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Event Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a game that will include the Welsh team if they qualify.

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

It is anticipated that an earlier start, which will also be adopted for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will appeal to households and help connect with a broader range of fans.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their first game at the Dublin stadium and the Scottish team would play similarly at Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualifying tournament; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that miss out on the finals through that route.

Locations and Elimination Phase

Villa Park and The North London arena complete the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals held at every host’s main arena.

The draw for the qualifiers will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it emerged the Belfast stadium could not be renovated in time, on December 6, 2026.

Official Statement

“This will be a competition for the fans and a showcase of everything we value about the sport – its fervor and ability to foster unity.”

Over 3 million passes, a record for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be made available to fans.