The English Team to Start the European Championship 2028 Journey at the Etihad Stadium

The England national team will embark on their Euro 2028 journey at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they achieve the anticipated entry for a competition taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an England men’s fixture since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to welcome the national team for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are scheduled to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win Group B, their last-16 tie would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Securing the runner-up spot would mean starting the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Kickoff and Rally

The tournament was launched at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host FAs were heckled as they entered the site by about 50 activists, who demanded the Israeli team to be removed from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.

Signs were raised with messages stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Fixture List

The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will include the Dragons if they qualify.

Wembley will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at late afternoon.

It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to families and help connect with a more diverse set of audiences.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for the finals through the qualification path.

Locations and Playoffs

Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the event’s nine venues. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches held at the national stadium of each host.

The qualification draw will be staged in Belfast, which was removed as a host city last year when it emerged Casement Park could not be renovated in time, on December 6, 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a tournament for the supporters and a celebration of everything we cherish about the football – its emotion and ability to unite individuals.”

In excess of three million admissions, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are anticipated to be offered to attendees.

Kurt Thornton
Kurt Thornton

A passionate card game strategist and writer, sharing expert tips and engaging stories to enhance your gaming experience.