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England’s men’s team will initiate their Euro 2028 adventure at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they secure the expected passage for a competition staged throughout the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an England men’s match since May 2016, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to welcome the England side for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The team are planned to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win the preliminary round, their knockout stage opener would occur at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean beginning the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Launch and Demonstration

The tournament was unveiled at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. Senior figures from Uefa and the host FAs were heckled as they entered the site by about 50 protesters, who urged Israel to be expelled from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

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

Championship Fixture List

The first match of the tournament will be held at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a game that will feature the Dragons if they secure a place.

Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the final, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for European club finals from the upcoming season, will attract households and help connect with a broader range of viewers.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that miss out on Euro 2028 through the standard process.

Venues and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground round out the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarter-finals played at the national stadium of each host.

The qualifying draw will be held in Belfast, which was excluded as a host city last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on December 6, 2026.

Official Statement

“The event will be a tournament for the followers and a showcase of everything we value about the football – its passion and power to bring people together.”

In excess of three million passes, a all-time high for a men’s European Championship, are expected to be offered to fans.