England to Start the European Championship 2028 Campaign at the Etihad Stadium
The English squad will embark on their Euro 2028 journey at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they secure the expected qualification for a championship taking place in the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic.
The Etihad Stadium has not staged an Three Lions match since eight years ago, when the visitors were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to stage the national team for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.
England are planned to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, should they win their group, their knockout stage opener would take place at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean starting the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.
Tournament Kickoff and Rally
The event was inaugurated at an ceremony in a London landmark on Wednesday night. Key representatives from Uefa and the organizing bodies were barracked as they arrived the site by about 50 activists, who called for Israel to be expelled from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.
Signs were raised with slogans stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists chanted: “Kick Israel out.”
Championship Schedule
The opening game of the European Championship will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will feature the Dragons if they secure a place.
The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a commencement at 5:00 PM.
It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be adopted for European club finals from the upcoming season, will attract households and help reach a broader range of viewers.
Qualifying Teams
The Republic of Ireland are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.
Each host nation’s squad will take part in the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that do not reach the tournament through that route.
Locations and Playoffs
The Birmingham venue and The North London arena round out the nine tournament locations. All will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches held at each country’s national stadium.
The draw for the qualifiers will be staged in Belfast, which was dropped as a venue city last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.
Leadership Comment
“It will be a tournament for the fans and a showcase of everything we cherish about the sport – its passion and power to unite individuals.”
More than three million admissions, a unprecedented number for a Euro tournament, are expected to be released to supporters.
