🔗 Share this article England to Launch UEFA Euro 2028 Journey at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium The England national team will embark on their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they attain the expected entry for a tournament staged throughout the bulk of Britain and the Republic of Ireland. The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an English men’s match since May 2016, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to welcome the national team for their inaugural game on June 10, 2028. The English side are scheduled to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, if they top the preliminary round, their last-16 tie would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium. Tournament Kickoff and Protest The championship was unveiled at an event in central London on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host FAs were heckled as they arrived the site by around fifty pro-Palestine demonstrators, who urged Israel to be expelled from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza. Signs were displayed with slogans reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists shouted: “Kick Israel out.” Event Schedule The opening game of the European Championship will be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a fixture that will include the Dragons if they qualify. Wembley will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5pm. It is anticipated that an afternoon start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to family audiences and help connect with a broader range of fans. Participating Countries The Republic of Ireland are due to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park. The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that fail to qualify for the finals through the standard process. Locations and Elimination Phase Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena complete the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals played 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 emerged the Belfast stadium could not be renovated in time, on December 6, 2026. Leadership Comment “The event will be a competition for the followers and a showcase of everything we value about the game – its emotion and capacity to bring people together.” More than three million passes, a all-time high for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be offered to supporters.