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England’s men’s team will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they achieve the anticipated passage for a championship staged throughout the bulk of Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an English men’s fixture since eight years ago, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is almost certain to host the England side for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

England are set to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, should they win Group B, their last-16 tie would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Launch and Protest

The event was launched at an event in a London landmark on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host FAs were heckled as they approached the location by around fifty protesters, who demanded the Israeli team to be kicked out from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.

Placards were held up with slogans stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a fixture that will include Wales if they make it.

The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a commencement at late afternoon.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for European club finals from the following campaign, will attract families and help connect with a broader range of viewers.

Participating Countries

The Ireland are set to play their first game at the Aviva Stadium and the Scottish team would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will participate in the qualifying tournament; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through the standard process.

Stadiums and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground complete the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight staged at each country’s national stadium.

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

Leadership Comment

“This will be a championship for the supporters and a celebration of everything we cherish about the football – its passion and capacity to foster unity.”

Over 3 million admissions, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be released to supporters.