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The English squad will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they attain the expected qualification for a competition taking place in the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an English men’s fixture since eight years ago, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to host the national team for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.

The English side are scheduled to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, should they win Group B, their knockout stage opener would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean commencing the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Opening and Protest

The tournament was unveiled at an event in central London on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were barracked as they approached the location by about 50 protesters, who called for Israel to be kicked out from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.

Banners were displayed with slogans stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Schedule

The first match of the tournament will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will feature Wales if they secure a place.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.

It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from the following campaign, will cater to family audiences and help engage a broader range of fans.

Participating Countries

The Irish team are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Dublin stadium and the Tartan Army would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will enter the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that miss out on Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Villa Park and Spurs’ ground round out the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals played at every host’s main arena.

The qualifying draw will be held in Belfast, which was dropped as a venue city last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026.

Tournament Vision

“It will be a tournament for the followers and a showcase of everything we love about the sport – its fervor and power to unite individuals.”

Over 3 million admissions, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be made available to fans.