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The English squad will commence their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they achieve the anticipated qualification for a tournament taking place in the majority of the UK and the Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an English men’s match since eight years ago, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to welcome the national team for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are planned 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 the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean starting the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Kickoff and Rally

The tournament was unveiled at an ceremony in a London landmark on the previous evening. Senior figures from Uefa and the host football associations were barracked as they approached the location by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who called for Israel’s national side to be removed from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Signs were raised with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Timeline

The first match of the tournament will be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will include the Dragons if they qualify.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a commencement at late afternoon.

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

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their first game at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would do the same at Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be reserved for any that miss out on the finals through the qualification path.

Locations and Elimination Phase

The Birmingham venue and The North London arena finalize the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the last eight held at the national stadium of each host.

The qualification draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a venue city last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be renovated in time, on 6 December 2026.

Tournament Vision

“It will be a championship for the fans and a showcase of everything we value about the football – its emotion and capacity to unite individuals.”

Over 3 million tickets, a record for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be offered to attendees.