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The English squad will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they achieve the anticipated passage for a competition taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an England men’s match since May 2016, when the visitors were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to stage the Three Lions for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.

England are set to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, if they top their group, their knockout stage opener would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Placing second would mean beginning the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Kickoff and Protest

The tournament was launched at an gathering in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. Key representatives from Uefa and the host FAs were confronted as they entered the site by approximately 50 protesters, who urged the Israeli team to be kicked out from international football because of the Gaza crisis.

Placards were held up with messages saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Timeline

The first match of the tournament will be held at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a game that will involve Wales if they secure a place.

The national stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be held on July 9, 2028 with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be adopted for European club finals from the upcoming season, will attract family audiences and help reach a more diverse set of audiences.

Host Nations

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be held in reserve 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 complete the nine tournament locations. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches staged at the national stadium of each host.

The qualification draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it became clear the proposed venue could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.

Leadership Comment

“The event will be a competition for the fans and a celebration of everything we love about the football – its emotion and ability to unite individuals.”

Over 3 million admissions, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be offered to fans.