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The English squad will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the the home of Manchester City, assuming they attain the relatively straightforward qualification for a tournament taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not staged an English men’s game since May 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 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 set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, if they top the preliminary round, their knockout stage opener would occur at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Kickoff and Protest

The event was unveiled at an event in central London on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host football associations were barracked as they arrived the site by approximately 50 activists, who urged the Israeli team to be kicked out from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

Signs were held up with phrases saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Schedule

The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a match that will feature Wales if they secure a place.

Wembley Stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a commencement at late afternoon.

It is anticipated that an earlier start, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to households and help engage a broader range of audiences.

Participating Countries

The Irish team are set to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will enter the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that miss out on the tournament through the qualification path.

Stadiums and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena round out the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight staged at each country’s national stadium.

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

Leadership Comment

“It will be a competition for the supporters and a celebration of everything we cherish 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 fans.