The English Team to Launch the European Championship 2028 Campaign at City’s Home Ground
The England national team will commence their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they attain the anticipated passage for a competition taking place in the majority of the UK and the Ireland.
The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an England men’s match since May 2016, when Turkey were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to welcome the national team for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.
The team are planned to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, should they win their group, their knockout stage opener would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean commencing the knockouts at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Competition Launch and Rally
The tournament was launched at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were heckled as they entered the location by approximately 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who urged the Israeli team to be expelled from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.
Placards were displayed with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.”
Championship Fixture List
The opening game of the tournament will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a game that will feature the Welsh team if they qualify.
The national stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the title decider, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a start time at late afternoon.
It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for European club finals from the following campaign, will attract families and help connect with a broader range of audiences.
Participating Countries
The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and the Scottish team would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.
All four host countries’ teams will take part in the qualification process; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for the finals through the qualification path.
Locations and Elimination Phase
Villa Park and The North London arena finalize the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight played at every host’s main arena.
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 a date in late 2026.
Official Statement
“This will be a championship for the fans and a festival of everything we value about the sport – its fervor and ability to unite individuals.”
More than three million admissions, a all-time high for a Euro tournament, are expected to be offered to attendees.
