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The English squad will embark on their Euro 2028 campaign at the the home of Manchester City, assuming they secure the relatively straightforward passage for a competition hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an English men’s game since May 2016, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a friendly, but is almost certain to host the Three Lions for their first match on June 10, 2028.

The English side are scheduled to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their last-16 tie would be held at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Kickoff and Rally

The championship was launched at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the organizing bodies were heckled as they approached the site by around fifty pro-Palestine demonstrators, who demanded the Israeli team to be expelled from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

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

Tournament Timeline

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be staged at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a match that will involve the Dragons if they secure a place.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a commencement at 5:00 PM.

It is anticipated that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from next season, will cater to families and help connect with a wider spectrum of fans.

Qualifying Teams

The Ireland are due to play their first game at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would play similarly at Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the qualification process; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Stadiums and Knockout Stage

The Birmingham venue and The North London arena finalize the nine tournament locations. All will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight held at each country’s national stadium.

The qualification draw will be staged in Belfast, which was excluded as a host city last year when it emerged Casement Park could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Leadership Comment

“The event will be a tournament for the fans and a festival of everything we value about the sport – its fervor and ability to bring people together.”

More than three million tickets, a record for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be made available to fans.