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The English squad will initiate their Euro 2028 adventure at the the home of Manchester City, provided that they secure the anticipated qualification for a championship hosted across most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

Manchester City’s home ground has not staged an English men’s match since May 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to host the England side for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

England are scheduled to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win the preliminary round, their last-16 tie would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Opening and Rally

The tournament was unveiled at an event in central London on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the host football associations were barracked as they arrived the site by around fifty activists, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from global football because of the Gaza crisis.

Placards were displayed with messages reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Timeline

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be staged at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will feature Wales if they make it.

Wembley will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at 5pm.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from next season, will cater to families and help engage a more diverse set of viewers.

Host Nations

The Irish team are scheduled to play their first game at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will enter the qualification process; two reserved places will be reserved for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Venues and Elimination Phase

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground round out the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight staged at every host’s main arena.

The qualification draw will be conducted 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.

Official Statement

“It will be a competition for the fans and a festival of everything we love about the game – its passion and power to foster unity.”

Over 3 million passes, a all-time high for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be released to attendees.