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The England national team will commence their 2028 European Championship journey at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they attain the relatively straightforward qualification for a competition hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not staged an England men’s fixture since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to welcome the England side for their first match on June 10, 2028.

England are set to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, should they win the preliminary round, their last-16 tie would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean commencing the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Launch and Rally

The tournament was inaugurated at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday night. Key representatives from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were confronted as they approached the location by about 50 activists, who urged Israel’s national side to be removed from international football because of the situation in Gaza.

Placards were raised with slogans reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Fixture List

The first match of the tournament will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a game that will feature Wales if they secure a place.

The national stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the final, which will be played on Sunday 9 July with a commencement at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help engage a wider spectrum of fans.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin stadium and the Scottish team would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will take part in the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Stadiums and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and The North London arena finalize the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight staged at each country’s national stadium.

The qualifying draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a host city last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be redeveloped in time, on 6 December 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a tournament for the fans and a showcase of everything we value about the game – its emotion and ability to bring people together.”

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