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The England national team will initiate their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, on the condition that they attain the relatively straightforward passage for a competition taking place in the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.

Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an England men’s game since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to welcome the England side for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, should they win Group B, their round of 16 match would occur at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Placing second would mean beginning the knockouts at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Launch and Rally

The event was launched at an event in central London on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were barracked as they arrived the location by around fifty protesters, who demanded the Israeli team to be expelled from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Championship Timeline

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will feature the Welsh team if they secure a place.

Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the final, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a start time at 5pm.

It is anticipated that an earlier start, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from the following campaign, will attract households and help connect with a broader range of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Ireland are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Dublin stadium and the Scottish team would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

All four host countries’ teams will participate in the qualification process; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that miss out on the tournament through that route.

Locations and Knockout Stage

The Birmingham venue and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches staged at the national stadium of each host.

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

Official Statement

“The event will be a competition for the supporters and a celebration of everything we love about the game – its emotion and capacity to foster unity.”

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