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The England national team will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they achieve the relatively straightforward qualification for a tournament staged throughout the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not staged an English men’s fixture since May 2016, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a friendly, but is almost certain to host the Three Lions for their inaugural game 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 round of 16 match would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Championship Kickoff and Rally

The event was launched at an gathering in central London on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were heckled as they approached the venue by around fifty protesters, who urged Israel’s national side to be kicked out from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Event Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a game that will feature the Welsh team if they secure a place.

Wembley will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a start time at 5pm.

It is expected that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will cater to households and help connect with a wider spectrum of fans.

Participating Countries

The Irish team are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and the Scottish team would play similarly at Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will enter the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through the qualification path.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena complete the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight staged at the national stadium of each host.

The qualifying draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a host city last year when it was revealed the proposed venue could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a competition for the followers and a showcase of everything we love about the game – its passion and capacity to unite individuals.”

More than three million passes, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are anticipated to be released to supporters.