🔗 Share this article

England’s men’s team will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they attain the relatively straightforward qualification for a championship staged throughout most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

City’s stadium has not hosted an English men’s match since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to host the Three Lions for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

England are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win Group B, their round of 16 match would occur at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Competition Opening and Rally

The tournament was unveiled at an gathering in central London on the previous evening. Key representatives from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were heckled as they approached the location by approximately 50 protesters, who urged the Israeli team to be expelled from international football because of the situation in Gaza.

Banners were raised with slogans saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Timeline

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be held at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will feature the Dragons if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at late afternoon.

It is anticipated that an earlier start, which will also be used for European club finals from the upcoming season, will attract households and help engage a wider spectrum of viewers.

Host Nations

The Irish team are set to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will enter the qualification process; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that do not reach the finals through the standard process.

Venues and Playoffs

Villa Park and Spurs’ ground round out the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches held at the national stadium of each host.

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

Leadership Comment

“This will be a competition for the fans and a festival of everything we value about the football – its fervor and capacity to unite individuals.”

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