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England’s men’s team will commence their Euro 2028 adventure at the Manchester City’s stadium, assuming they secure the anticipated qualification for a championship staged throughout the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

City’s stadium has not welcomed an England men’s match since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to welcome the national team for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The team are scheduled to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning their group, their round of 16 match would take place at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean beginning the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Kickoff and Rally

The championship was unveiled at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. Senior figures from Uefa and the host football associations were heckled as they arrived the location by approximately 50 activists, who called for Israel to be expelled from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Signs were raised with phrases saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Fixture List

The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a match that will involve the Welsh team if they make it.

The national stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the final, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at late afternoon.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to families and help reach a broader range of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Ireland are due to play their first game at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that miss out on the finals through the standard process.

Venues and Elimination Phase

Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches played at every host’s main arena.

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

Official Statement

“This will be a tournament for the followers and a festival of everything we value about the football – its passion and ability to unite individuals.”

Over 3 million tickets, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be released to attendees.