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The English squad will initiate their Euro 2028 journey at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they achieve the anticipated passage for a competition staged throughout the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an England men’s match since May 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is expected to welcome the national team for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are set to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Kickoff and Protest

The event was unveiled at an event in a London landmark on Wednesday night. Senior figures from Uefa and the organizing bodies were heckled as they entered the site by about 50 activists, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.

Placards were displayed with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Schedule

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a match that will involve the Dragons if they secure a place.

Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the title decider, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at 5pm.

It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will attract family audiences and help engage a broader range of viewers.

Qualifying Teams

The Ireland are scheduled to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and the Scottish team would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Stadiums and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground complete the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches held at each country’s national stadium.

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

Leadership Comment

“It will be a tournament for the supporters and a festival of everything we love about the sport – its fervor and ability to unite individuals.”

More than three million passes, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be offered to fans.