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The England national team will commence their Euro 2028 campaign at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they achieve the relatively straightforward entry for a championship staged throughout most of the United Kingdom and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not staged an English men’s game since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to host the Three Lions for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, should they win their group, their knockout stage opener would occur at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean commencing the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Launch and Protest

The tournament was unveiled at an gathering in central London on the previous evening. Senior figures from Uefa and the host FAs were barracked as they entered the venue by around fifty pro-Palestine demonstrators, who urged the Israeli team to be removed from international football because of the situation in Gaza.

Placards were displayed with phrases saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Fixture List

The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be played at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will include Wales if they qualify.

Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be played on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at late afternoon.

It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will appeal to family audiences and help reach a more diverse set of fans.

Host Nations

The Irish team are set to play their first game at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the qualification process; two reserved places will be reserved for any that miss out on the tournament through the standard process.

Venues and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena round out the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight staged at each country’s national stadium.

The draw for the qualifiers will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be redeveloped in time, on 6 December 2026.

Official Statement

“This will be a competition for the fans and a celebration of everything we value about the football – its passion and ability to bring people together.”

More than three million passes, a all-time high for a men’s European Championship, are expected to be made available to supporters.