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England’s men’s team will commence their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they secure the relatively straightforward entry for a competition taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an England men’s game since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to welcome the national team for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

The English side are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their round of 16 match would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Placing second would mean beginning the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Launch and Rally

The championship was unveiled at an gathering in a London landmark on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the host football associations were heckled as they arrived the site by about 50 protesters, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Placards were held up with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Timeline

The first match of the European Championship will be held at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a match that will include the Welsh team if they make it.

The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the championship match, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at 5pm.

It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be used for European club finals from the following campaign, will appeal to households and help engage a wider spectrum of viewers.

Host Nations

The Ireland are scheduled to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.

All four host countries’ teams will participate in the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through the standard process.

Venues and Elimination Phase

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the nine tournament locations. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight held at the national stadium of each host.

The draw for the qualifiers will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“It will be a championship for the fans and a festival of everything we cherish about the game – its fervor and ability to bring people together.”

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