🔗 Share this article England to Begin the European Championship 2028 Journey at City’s Home Ground The English squad will embark on their 2028 European Championship campaign at the the home of Manchester City, provided that they secure the expected qualification for a tournament taking place in the majority of the UK and the Irish Republic. The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an England men’s game since May 2016, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to stage the national team for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028. England are planned to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their knockout stage opener would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean commencing the knockouts at Everton’s ground. Competition Kickoff and Protest The championship was launched at an gathering in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were heckled as they arrived the site by about 50 activists, who urged the Israeli team to be removed from international football because of the situation in Gaza. Signs were raised with slogans reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.” Tournament Fixture List The opening game of the European Championship will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a fixture that will include Wales if they qualify. Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be played on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at late afternoon. It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for European club finals from next season, will cater to families and help engage a more diverse set of fans. Host Nations The Republic of Ireland are set to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland. All four host countries’ teams will participate in the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through the qualification path. Venues and Elimination Phase Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight held at every host’s main arena. The draw for the qualifiers will be staged in Belfast, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it became clear the proposed venue could not be redeveloped in time, on 6 December 2026. Tournament Vision “The event will be a competition for the followers and a showcase of everything we love about the football – its emotion and ability to foster unity.” In excess of three million admissions, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are anticipated to be offered to attendees.