England to Begin UEFA Euro 2028 Journey at City’s Home Ground
The England national team will embark on their 2028 European Championship adventure at the the home of Manchester City, assuming they achieve the expected passage for a competition hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an English men’s fixture since May 2016, when the visitors were beaten 2-1 in a friendly, but is almost certain to welcome the England side for their inaugural game on June 10, 2028.
The team are scheduled to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, if they top their group, their knockout stage opener would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the knockouts at Everton’s ground.
Championship Launch and Protest
The event was unveiled at an gathering in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday evening. Key representatives from Uefa and the host FAs were confronted as they entered the site by approximately 50 protesters, who urged Israel to be removed from the sport because of the Gaza crisis.
Signs were raised with messages saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists called out: “Kick Israel out.”
Tournament Schedule
The first match of the European Championship will be held at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a game that will include Wales if they secure a place.
Wembley will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be held on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.
It is anticipated that an earlier kick-off, which will also be adopted for Champions League finals from next season, will cater to households and help reach a more diverse set of viewers.
Participating Countries
The Republic of Ireland are set to play their first game at the Dublin stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at Hampden Park.
The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through the standard process.
Stadiums and Elimination Phase
The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground complete the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight held at every host’s main arena.
The qualification draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a venue city last year when it emerged the Belfast stadium 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 love about the sport – its fervor and ability to bring people together.”
In excess of three million passes, a record for a Euro tournament, are projected to be offered to fans.
