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The England national team will embark on their 2028 European Championship journey at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they secure the relatively straightforward passage for a competition staged throughout the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.

City’s stadium has not welcomed an England men’s game since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is expected to welcome the England side for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.

England are scheduled to play their last two group stage games at Wembley, but, if they top the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would be held at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Competition Kickoff and Rally

The event was unveiled at an ceremony in central London on the previous evening. Senior figures from Uefa and the host football associations were confronted as they entered the location by about 50 protesters, who urged the Israeli team to be removed from international football because of the Gaza crisis.

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

Tournament Schedule

The first match of Euro 2028 will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will involve Wales if they secure a place.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be played on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.

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

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would do the same at Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will participate in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through that route.

Stadiums and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground round out the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals held at every host’s main arena.

The qualification draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it became clear Casement Park could not be renovated in time, on December 6, 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a championship for the followers and a celebration of everything we cherish about the game – its fervor and power to unite individuals.”

In excess of three million tickets, a record for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be made available to attendees.