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The England national team will embark on their Euro 2028 journey at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they achieve the expected entry for a tournament taking place in the majority of the UK and the Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an Three Lions match since eight years ago, when the visitors were defeated 2-1 in a friendly, but is almost certain to welcome the Three Lions for their first match on June 10, 2028.

The team are planned to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, if they top their group, their round of 16 match would take place at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean beginning the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Launch and Protest

The tournament was unveiled at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. Key representatives from European football’s governing body and the host football associations were heckled as they approached the location by approximately 50 activists, who urged Israel to be kicked out from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were displayed with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Timeline

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

The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be held on July 9, 2028 with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from the following campaign, will cater to family audiences and help engage a broader range of viewers.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the qualification process; two reserved places will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through the qualification path.

Locations and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finalize the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarter-finals played at each country’s national stadium.

The draw for the qualifiers will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a venue city last year when it became clear the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on December 6, 2026.

Tournament Vision

“It will be a tournament for the supporters and a showcase of everything we love about the game – its passion and capacity to foster unity.”

Over 3 million tickets, a all-time high for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be offered to fans.