🔗 Share this article England to Start UEFA Euro 2028 Campaign at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium The English squad will embark on their 2028 European Championship journey at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they achieve the expected entry for a championship taking place in the majority of the UK and the Ireland. City’s stadium has not welcomed an English men’s match since May 2016, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to welcome the England side for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028. The English side are planned to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, in the event of winning their group, their last-16 tie would occur at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium. Tournament Launch and Protest The championship was inaugurated at an event in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. Key representatives from Uefa and the host football associations were heckled as they entered the venue by approximately 50 activists, who called for Israel to be kicked out from global football because of the situation in Gaza. Signs were held up with messages stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.” Tournament Timeline The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a game that will include the Dragons if they make it. The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the title decider, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm. It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be adopted for European club finals from the following campaign, will appeal to families and help reach a broader range of fans. Qualifying Teams The Republic of Ireland are scheduled 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 qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that do not reach the finals through that route. Locations and Elimination Phase Villa Park and Spurs’ ground round out the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches played at every host’s main arena. The qualification 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 upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026. Official Statement “This will be a competition for the followers and a showcase of everything we cherish about the football – its fervor and capacity to foster unity.” Over 3 million admissions, a record for a men’s European Championship, are anticipated to be made available to attendees.