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The England national team will embark on their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they secure the anticipated qualification for a competition staged throughout the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

City’s stadium has not hosted an Three Lions game since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to stage the England side for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, if they top the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean starting the knockouts at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Launch and Rally

The event was launched at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday night. Key representatives from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were confronted as they arrived the location by approximately 50 activists, who called for the Israeli team to be kicked out from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Signs were held up with messages reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Timeline

The first match of the tournament will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a match that will involve the Welsh team if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the championship match, which will be played on Sunday 9 July with a commencement at 5pm.

It is expected that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will cater to families and help engage a broader range of viewers.

Qualifying Teams

The Ireland are scheduled to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will enter the qualification process; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through the qualification path.

Stadiums and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground complete the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches played at each country’s national stadium.

The qualification draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was excluded as a venue city last year when it emerged the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on December 6, 2026.

Official Statement

“It will be a competition for the followers and a showcase of everything we cherish about the game – its fervor and ability to foster unity.”

More than three million tickets, a all-time high for a Euro tournament, are projected to be made available to attendees.