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England’s men’s team will commence their Euro 2028 adventure at the the home of Manchester City, provided that they secure the relatively straightforward entry for a competition hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not staged an Three Lions game since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to stage the Three Lions for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

The English side are planned to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, if they top their group, their last-16 tie would occur at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Kickoff and Demonstration

The event was launched at an ceremony in central London on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were barracked as they approached the site by approximately 50 protesters, who called for the Israeli team to be expelled from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Placards were raised with slogans saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Timeline

The first match of Euro 2028 will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a match that will include the Welsh team if they secure a place.

Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a commencement at 5:00 PM.

It is anticipated that an earlier start, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from the following campaign, will appeal to families and help connect with a more diverse set of viewers.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will participate in the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through the qualification path.

Stadiums and Elimination Phase

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches held at each country’s national stadium.

The draw for the qualifiers will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, 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.

Official Statement

“This will be a championship for the fans and a celebration of everything we love about the game – its emotion and ability to bring people together.”

In excess of three million tickets, a unprecedented number for a Euro tournament, are projected to be made available to attendees.