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The England national team will initiate their 2028 European Championship journey at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they achieve the expected passage for a tournament taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not staged an English men’s match since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to welcome the Three Lions for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The team are set to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their last-16 tie would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Placing second would mean beginning the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Opening and Protest

The championship was launched at an event in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were barracked as they entered the venue by approximately 50 activists, who urged Israel’s national side to be removed from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Placards were displayed with messages reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Fixture List

The opening game of the European Championship will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a match that will involve the Dragons if they make it.

The national stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the final, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will attract households and help connect with a more diverse set of audiences.

Participating Countries

The Ireland are scheduled to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would play similarly at Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will enter the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for the finals through the qualification path.

Locations and Playoffs

Villa Park and Spurs’ ground complete the event’s nine venues. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight held at every host’s main arena.

The qualification draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a venue city last year when it became clear the proposed venue could not be redeveloped in time, on 6 December 2026.

Leadership Comment

“The event will be a competition for the supporters and a celebration of everything we love about the sport – its passion and power to unite individuals.”

More than three million admissions, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are anticipated to be made available to supporters.