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The England national team will commence their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the Manchester City’s stadium, assuming they attain the relatively straightforward qualification for a championship hosted across the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an England men’s fixture since May 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to host the national team for their first match on June 10, 2028.

The team are set to play their last two group stage games at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean commencing the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Opening and Protest

The tournament was launched at an gathering in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the host football associations were heckled as they approached the location by around fifty activists, who urged the Israeli team to be removed from international football because of the Gaza crisis.

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

Event Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will include the Dragons if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the final, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a commencement at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help connect with a wider spectrum of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Ireland are due to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would play similarly at Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that do not reach the tournament through the qualification path.

Venues and Elimination Phase

Villa Park and The North London arena finalize the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight played at each country’s national stadium.

The draw for the qualifiers will be held in Belfast, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Official Statement

“This will be a tournament for the followers and a festival of everything we cherish about the football – its fervor and capacity to bring people together.”

In excess of three million tickets, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be made available to attendees.