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The England national team will commence their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, assuming they secure the relatively straightforward entry for a tournament staged throughout most of the United Kingdom and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not staged an England men’s game since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to welcome the England side for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

England are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning their group, their last-16 tie would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Launch and Demonstration

The championship was unveiled at an gathering in central London on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host football associations were heckled as they approached the site by approximately 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who called for Israel’s national side to be kicked out from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

Signs were raised with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will feature the Welsh team if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be used for European club finals from the upcoming season, will attract family audiences and help connect with a more diverse set of audiences.

Participating Countries

The Ireland are scheduled to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that do not reach the tournament through that route.

Stadiums and Elimination Phase

Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight staged at the national stadium of each host.

The qualification draw will be staged in Belfast, which was dropped as a host city last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Leadership Comment

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

Over 3 million tickets, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be released to attendees.