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England’s men’s team will embark on their 2028 European Championship journey at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they attain the expected passage for a tournament hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.

City’s stadium has not hosted an Three Lions fixture since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to host the Three Lions for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win their group, their knockout stage opener would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Kickoff and Protest

The event was launched at an gathering in central London on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host football associations were heckled as they entered the venue by about 50 activists, who called for the Israeli team to be expelled from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

Placards were held up with phrases saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Timeline

The first match of Euro 2028 will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a fixture that will involve the Welsh team if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the championship match, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a start time at 5pm.

It is anticipated that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to family audiences and help connect with a more diverse set of fans.

Host Nations

The Irish team are due to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will enter the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that miss out on the tournament through that route.

Locations and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the last eight held at every host’s main arena.

The qualification draw will be held in Belfast, which was removed as a venue city last year when it became clear Casement Park could not be redeveloped in time, on December 6, 2026.

Leadership Comment

“The event will be a tournament for the fans and a festival of everything we cherish about the football – its fervor and power to unite individuals.”

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