The English squad will commence their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the Manchester City’s stadium, on the condition that they achieve the expected qualification for a tournament staged throughout most of the United Kingdom and the Ireland.
Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an English men’s match since May 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is almost certain to welcome the England side for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028.
The English side are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, should they win the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would occur at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean beginning the playoffs at Everton’s ground.
Championship Opening and Protest
The event was launched at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the organizing bodies were confronted as they approached the site by approximately 50 activists, who called for Israel’s national side to be kicked out from global football because of the situation in Gaza.
Signs were displayed with phrases stating “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 played at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will involve the Dragons if they secure a place.
Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be held on July 9, 2028 with a commencement at 5pm.
It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to family audiences and help reach a more diverse set of audiences.
Host Nations
The Irish team are set to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.
Each host nation’s squad will participate in the qualifying tournament; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that miss out on the finals through that route.
Venues and Playoffs
Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena finalize the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches staged at each country’s national stadium.
The draw for the qualifiers will be held in Belfast, which was removed as a venue city last year when it was revealed the proposed venue could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026.
Official Statement
“It will be a tournament for the fans and a showcase of everything we love about the sport – its passion and capacity to bring people together.”
In excess of three million tickets, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be released to supporters.
