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The England national team will embark on their Euro 2028 journey at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they attain the relatively straightforward passage for a competition staged throughout the majority of the UK and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not welcomed an Three Lions match since eight years ago, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to host the England side for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are scheduled to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, if they top their group, their round of 16 match would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean commencing the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Launch and Rally

The tournament was inaugurated at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the host football associations were heckled as they entered the location by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who urged Israel’s national side to be removed from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

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

Championship Schedule

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be staged at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a game that will feature the Dragons if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the title decider, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is anticipated that an earlier kick-off, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to family audiences and help engage a broader range of audiences.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would play similarly at Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through the standard process.

Locations and Knockout Stage

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground finalize the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals staged at every host’s main arena.

The qualifying draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it emerged the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.

Official Statement

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

More than three million passes, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are expected to be released to supporters.