🔗 Share this article

England’s men’s team will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they attain the expected entry for a championship taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an English men’s fixture since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to stage the England side for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their round of 16 match would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Placing second would mean starting the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Championship Kickoff and Protest

The tournament was launched at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were barracked as they entered the site by around fifty activists, who demanded the Israeli team to be expelled from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Signs were held up with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament 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 fixture that will include the Welsh team if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the final, which will be held on July 9, 2028 with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is anticipated that an earlier start, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to households and help connect with a broader range of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are scheduled to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would play similarly at Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be set aside for any that miss out on Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Venues and Elimination Phase

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground finalize the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals staged at the national stadium of each host.

The draw for the qualifiers will be staged in Belfast, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it emerged the proposed venue 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 cherish about the sport – its emotion and power to foster unity.”

In excess of three million admissions, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be made available to attendees.