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England’s men’s team will commence their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they secure the expected qualification for a championship taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an England men’s fixture since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is expected to host the national team for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their knockout stage opener would take place at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean beginning the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Opening and Protest

The event was inaugurated at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the host football associations were heckled as they entered the site by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who called for the Israeli team to be expelled from the sport because of the Gaza crisis.

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

Tournament Schedule

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a game that will involve the Dragons if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for European club finals from the upcoming season, will cater to family audiences and help engage a more diverse set of fans.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.

All four host countries’ teams will take part in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that do not reach the tournament through the standard process.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena complete the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches staged at the national stadium of each host.

The draw for the qualifiers will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a competition for the supporters and a festival of everything we cherish about the football – its fervor and capacity to bring people together.”

In excess of three million admissions, a unprecedented number for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be made available to supporters.