The Three Lions to Launch UEFA Euro 2028 Campaign at City’s Home Ground
The England national team will commence their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they attain the expected passage for a tournament hosted across the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an English men’s game since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to stage the Three Lions for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.
England are set to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, if they top their group, their last-16 tie would take place at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the playoffs at Everton’s ground.
Competition Kickoff and Rally
The championship was unveiled at an gathering in a London landmark on the previous evening. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the host football associations were heckled as they entered the site by about 50 activists, who called for Israel’s national side to be kicked out from international football because of the Gaza crisis.
Placards were held up with messages stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists called out: “Kick Israel out.”
Tournament Fixture List
The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a game that will feature Wales if they qualify.
Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.
It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be used for European club finals from next season, will cater to households and help connect with a broader range of fans.
Participating Countries
The Ireland are due to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.
The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualification process; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that miss out on Euro 2028 through the standard process.
Venues and Elimination Phase
The Birmingham venue and The North London arena round out the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals staged at the national stadium of each host.
The qualifying draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it emerged Casement Park could not be redeveloped in time, on 6 December 2026.
Leadership Comment
“This will be a championship for the fans and a celebration of everything we cherish about the sport – its fervor and capacity to unite individuals.”
In excess of three million passes, a unprecedented number for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be offered to attendees.
