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England’s men’s team will embark on their 2028 European Championship journey at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they attain the relatively straightforward qualification for a competition staged throughout the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an England men’s game since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to welcome the national team for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are set to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win Group B, their last-16 tie would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Placing second would mean beginning the knockouts at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Opening and Demonstration

The tournament was inaugurated at an gathering in central London on the previous evening. Key representatives from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were confronted as they approached the site by approximately 50 protesters, who urged Israel to be expelled from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

Banners were raised with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be played at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a game that will feature Wales if they secure a place.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be played on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at late afternoon.

It is anticipated that an earlier kick-off, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will attract families and help engage a more diverse set of fans.

Host Nations

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

All four host countries’ teams will take part in the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that miss out on the finals through the standard process.

Venues and Knockout Stage

The Birmingham venue and The North London arena finalize the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the last eight held at every host’s main arena.

The draw for the qualifiers will be conducted in Belfast, which was excluded as a venue city last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Leadership Comment

“This will be a competition for the supporters and a showcase of everything we love about the football – its passion and capacity to foster unity.”

More than three million passes, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be made available to fans.