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England’s men’s team will commence their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they secure the anticipated qualification for a tournament taking place in the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.

City’s stadium has not staged an English men’s fixture since May 2016, when the visitors were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to welcome the national team for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, if they top their group, their round of 16 match would be held at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean commencing the knockouts at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Launch and Protest

The event was inaugurated at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the host football associations were heckled as they arrived the venue by around fifty pro-Palestine demonstrators, who urged Israel’s national side to be expelled from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were held up with slogans stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Schedule

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a game that will involve Wales if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will cater to families and help connect with a more diverse set of viewers.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that miss out on the finals through that route.

Locations and Knockout Stage

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground round out the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches played at every host’s main arena.

The qualifying draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a host city last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a competition for the fans and a showcase of everything we love about the game – its fervor and capacity to foster unity.”

Over 3 million admissions, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are anticipated to be released to supporters.