England to Begin Euro 2028 Campaign at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium
The English squad will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they achieve the relatively straightforward passage for a championship taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.
City’s stadium has not welcomed an England men’s fixture since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is almost certain to stage the Three Lions for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.
The team are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win their group, their last-16 tie would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Placing second would mean beginning the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Championship Kickoff and Protest
The event was unveiled at an ceremony in a London landmark on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were barracked as they approached the site by about 50 protesters, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.
Placards were held up with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists called out: “Kick Israel out.”
Championship Fixture List
The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be staged at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will include the Welsh team if they secure a place.
Wembley will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be played on Sunday 9 July with a commencement at 5:00 PM.
It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will cater to family audiences and help engage a wider spectrum of fans.
Participating Countries
The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and the Scottish team would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.
The national sides of all four hosts will participate in the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that miss out on the tournament through the standard process.
Stadiums and Playoffs
Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches played at every host’s main arena.
The qualification draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on December 6, 2026.
Official Statement
“The event will be a championship for the supporters and a celebration of everything we value about the game – its emotion and ability to foster unity.”
Over 3 million admissions, a record for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be made available to attendees.
