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The English squad will commence their 2028 European Championship journey at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they secure the anticipated entry for a tournament staged throughout most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an England men’s game since May 2016, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to host the national team for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.

England are planned to play their last two group stage games at Wembley, but, in the event of winning Group B, their last-16 tie would occur at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Kickoff and Demonstration

The tournament was launched at an gathering in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were heckled as they approached the site by approximately 50 protesters, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from global football because of the Gaza crisis.

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

Tournament Schedule

The first match of the European Championship will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a fixture that will involve Wales if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the title decider, which will be held on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from next season, will attract family audiences and help engage a broader range of audiences.

Host Nations

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

Each host nation’s squad will participate in the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that do not reach the tournament through that route.

Locations and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena finalize the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarter-finals played at the national stadium of each host.

The draw for the qualifiers will be staged in Belfast, which was excluded as a host city last year when it emerged Casement Park could not be renovated in time, on December 6, 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a tournament for the followers and a showcase of everything we love about the sport – its passion and capacity to foster unity.”

In excess of three million tickets, a record for a Euro tournament, are projected to be released to supporters.