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The English squad will initiate their 2028 European Championship adventure at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they attain the relatively straightforward qualification for a championship staged throughout most of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an English men’s fixture since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to welcome the England side for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

England are set to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, if they top the preliminary round, their knockout stage opener would be held at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Competition Kickoff and Protest

The championship was unveiled at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were barracked as they arrived the site by approximately 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who called for Israel to be expelled from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

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

Tournament Schedule

The first match of the European Championship will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a game that will feature Wales if they secure a place.

Wembley will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a commencement at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be adopted for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will appeal to households and help connect with a more diverse set of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are set to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will enter the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be set aside for any that miss out on the tournament through that route.

Stadiums and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena round out the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals staged at the national stadium of each host.

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

Official Statement

“It will be a competition for the followers and a showcase of everything we love about the game – its emotion and capacity to bring people together.”

Over 3 million passes, a unprecedented number for a Euro tournament, are expected to be released to supporters.