England to Begin UEFA Euro 2028 Campaign at the Etihad Stadium
England’s men’s team will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they achieve the relatively straightforward entry for a tournament taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
The Etihad Stadium has not staged an English men’s game since May 2016, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is almost certain to host the national team for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.
The team are set to play their last two group stage games at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their round of 16 match would occur at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean starting the knockouts at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Championship Launch and Rally
The event was unveiled at an event in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. Key representatives from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were barracked as they entered the site by around fifty activists, who demanded Israel’s national side to be expelled from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.
Banners were raised with slogans reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists chanted: “Kick Israel out.”
Championship Schedule
The first match of the European Championship will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a game that will involve the Welsh team if they qualify.
The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be held on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at late afternoon.
It is anticipated that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for European club finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to households and help engage a more diverse set of audiences.
Participating Countries
The Republic of Ireland are due to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.
Each host nation’s squad will participate in the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be reserved for any that do not reach the finals through the qualification path.
Venues and Playoffs
Villa Park and Spurs’ ground finalize the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight held at the national stadium of each host.
The draw for the qualifiers will be conducted in Belfast, which was removed as a host city last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.
Tournament Vision
“It will be a championship for the fans and a showcase of everything we love about the sport – its passion and capacity to bring people together.”
Over 3 million admissions, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be made available to attendees.
