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England’s men’s team will initiate their Euro 2028 campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they secure the relatively straightforward qualification for a championship taking place in the majority of the UK and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not welcomed an English men’s fixture since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to host the national team for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Opening and Demonstration

The championship was unveiled at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from Uefa and the organizing bodies were confronted as they arrived the location by around fifty activists, who called for Israel’s national side to be removed from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Event Timeline

The first match of Euro 2028 will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a game that will feature the Welsh team if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at late afternoon.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will cater to families and help reach a broader range of viewers.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are set to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the qualification process; two automatic spots 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 round out the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches staged at every host’s main arena.

The draw for the qualifiers will be conducted in Belfast, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it was revealed the proposed venue could not be redeveloped in time, on December 6, 2026.

Official Statement

“It will be a tournament for the fans and a showcase of everything we value about the sport – its emotion and ability to unite individuals.”

In excess of three million tickets, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be released to supporters.