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The English squad will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the the home of Manchester City, assuming they attain the expected qualification for a tournament taking place in the majority of the UK and the Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an English men’s fixture since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were overcome 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to welcome the national team for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Opening and Rally

The tournament was launched at an event in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. Key representatives from Uefa and the host football associations were confronted as they approached the location by approximately 50 activists, who called for Israel to be expelled from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Event Schedule

The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a game that will feature the Welsh team if they make it.

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

It is expected that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for UEFA Champions League finals from the following campaign, will cater to households and help engage a more diverse set of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would play similarly at Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will take part in the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for the finals through that route.

Locations and Knockout Stage

Villa Park and Spurs’ ground complete the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals held at each country’s national stadium.

The qualifying draw will be staged in Belfast, which was excluded as a venue city last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be redeveloped in time, on December 6, 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a championship for the supporters and a celebration of everything we value about the football – its fervor and ability to unite individuals.”

More than three million passes, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are anticipated to be offered to fans.