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The England national team will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, assuming they achieve the relatively straightforward qualification for a tournament staged throughout the majority of the UK and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not staged an English men’s fixture since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to welcome the Three Lions for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

The team are set to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, if they top their group, their round of 16 match would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Kickoff and Protest

The championship was launched at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were confronted as they approached the location by around fifty protesters, who urged Israel to be removed from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Signs were displayed with messages reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Fixture List

The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will involve Wales if they secure a place.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at late afternoon.

It is anticipated that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to households and help reach a wider spectrum of fans.

Host Nations

The Ireland are due to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would do the same at Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will enter the qualification process; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for the finals through the qualification path.

Venues and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finalize the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight staged at the national stadium of each host.

The draw for the qualifiers will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a host city last year when it was revealed the proposed venue could not be upgraded in time, on a date in late 2026.

Official Statement

“It will be a competition for the supporters and a showcase of everything we value about the sport – its passion and capacity to foster unity.”

More than three million passes, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be offered to supporters.