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The England national team will commence their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they secure the relatively straightforward qualification for a tournament staged throughout most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not staged an English men’s game since May 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is almost certain to welcome the Three Lions for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

England are scheduled to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, if they top their group, their last-16 tie would take place at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean starting the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Kickoff and Rally

The tournament was unveiled at an gathering in central London on the previous evening. Senior figures from Uefa and the host FAs were barracked as they entered the location by approximately 50 activists, who called for Israel’s national side to be expelled from the sport because of the Gaza crisis.

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

Championship Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be held at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a game that will feature Wales if they qualify.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a commencement at 5pm.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be used for European club finals from next season, will cater to households and help engage a wider spectrum of viewers.

Host Nations

The Irish team are set to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the qualifying tournament; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that miss out on the finals through the qualification path.

Locations and Knockout Stage

Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finalize the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches staged at the national stadium of each host.

The qualifying draw will be staged in Belfast, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a tournament for the supporters and a festival of everything we value about the game – its passion and ability to bring people together.”

More than three million admissions, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are anticipated to be released to fans.