🔗 Share this article England to Launch UEFA Euro 2028 Journey at the Etihad Stadium England’s men’s team will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the the home of Manchester City, assuming they achieve the expected qualification for a tournament hosted across the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic. The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an English men’s game since May 2016, when the Turkish team were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is highly likely to welcome the Three Lions for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028. The team are scheduled to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, if they top their group, their last-16 tie would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean starting the elimination stage at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium. Competition Kickoff and Rally The tournament was unveiled at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the host football associations were barracked as they entered the location by around fifty activists, who urged Israel to be removed from global football because of the conflict in Gaza. Banners were raised with messages reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters called out: “Kick Israel out.” Event Schedule The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be staged at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will include Wales if they qualify. Wembley will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM. It is anticipated that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will attract households and help connect with a wider spectrum of audiences. Participating Countries The Republic of Ireland are set to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park. The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the qualification process; two reserved places will be set aside for any that do not reach the finals through the standard process. Stadiums and Knockout Stage Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena finalize the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals staged at each country’s national stadium. The qualifying draw will be held in Belfast, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it emerged Casement Park could not be redeveloped in time, on December 6, 2026. Leadership Comment “This will be a tournament for the supporters and a festival of everything we value about the football – its fervor and power to bring people together.” In excess of three million passes, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be offered to supporters.