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England’s men’s team will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they secure the anticipated entry for a championship taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an England men’s match since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to host the England side for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028.

England are set to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their knockout stage opener would take place at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean beginning the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Opening and Demonstration

The tournament was unveiled at an ceremony in a London landmark on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were confronted as they approached the site by approximately 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who demanded Israel’s national side to be expelled from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

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

Tournament Timeline

The opening game of the European Championship will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a game that will feature Wales if they qualify.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is anticipated that an earlier start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to family audiences and help reach a wider spectrum of audiences.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are set to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would follow suit at Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be set aside for any that do not reach the tournament through the qualification path.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches played at the national stadium of each host.

The qualifying draw will be staged in Belfast, which was dropped as a venue city last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on 6 December 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a competition for the fans and a celebration of everything we cherish about the sport – its fervor and power to foster unity.”

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