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The England national team will initiate their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, assuming they attain the expected qualification for a championship hosted across the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.

City’s stadium has not staged an England men’s game since May 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is almost certain to stage the national team for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.

The English side are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, if they top Group B, their round of 16 match would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.

Championship Launch and Protest

The event was launched at an ceremony in central London on the previous evening. Key representatives from European football’s governing body and the host football associations were heckled as they approached the site by approximately 50 protesters, who demanded Israel to be expelled from international football because of the situation in Gaza.

Placards were raised with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Timeline

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a match that will include Wales if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the title decider, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.

It is anticipated that an earlier start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will cater to households and help reach a more diverse set of audiences.

Host Nations

The Irish team are due to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would play similarly at Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be reserved for any that miss out on the finals through the qualification path.

Locations and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena round out the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight held at every host’s main arena.

The qualification draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it emerged the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a tournament for the fans and a celebration of everything we value about the football – its emotion and capacity to foster unity.”

In excess of three million tickets, a unprecedented number for a Euro tournament, are expected to be released to attendees.