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The England national team will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they secure the relatively straightforward passage for a championship taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an English men’s game since May 2016, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to stage the England side for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

England are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, if they top Group B, their knockout stage opener would take place at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean commencing the elimination stage at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Opening and Rally

The event was unveiled at an gathering in a London landmark on the previous evening. Key representatives from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were heckled as they arrived the location by about 50 activists, who called for Israel to be removed from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were displayed with slogans reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Schedule

The opening game of the European Championship will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a game that will feature the Dragons if they secure a place.

Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the title decider, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a start time at 5pm.

It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for European club finals from the upcoming season, will attract family audiences and help engage a more diverse set of fans.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are set to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

All four host countries’ teams will participate in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be held in reserve for any that miss out on the tournament through the standard process.

Locations and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and The North London arena complete the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals held at every host’s main arena.

The qualification draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a host city last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a competition for the fans and a showcase of everything we value about the football – its fervor and ability to foster unity.”

More than three million passes, a unprecedented number for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be offered to supporters.