The Three Lions to Start UEFA Euro 2028 Campaign at the Etihad Stadium

The English squad will embark on their 2028 European Championship adventure at the the home of Manchester City, assuming they attain the anticipated passage for a championship hosted across the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

City’s stadium has not hosted an English men’s 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 English side are set to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, should they win their group, their round of 16 match would take place at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean starting the elimination stage at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Kickoff and Demonstration

The tournament was unveiled at an gathering in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host football associations were barracked as they arrived the location by approximately 50 protesters, who called for Israel’s national side to be kicked out from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Tournament Timeline

The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be held at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a game that will involve the Welsh team if they make it.

Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the title decider, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at late afternoon.

It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help reach a broader range of fans.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would follow suit at Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through that route.

Venues and Elimination Phase

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground complete the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight held at each country’s national stadium.

The qualifying draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.

Leadership Comment

“The event will be a tournament for the followers and a celebration of everything we love about the game – its fervor and ability to foster unity.”

More than three million passes, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be released to supporters.