England to Begin UEFA Euro 2028 Quest at City’s Home Ground
England’s men’s team will embark on their Euro 2028 campaign at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they achieve the relatively straightforward qualification for a championship staged throughout the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
The Etihad Stadium has not staged an Three Lions game since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were overcome 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to welcome the Three Lions for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.
The English side are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their last-16 tie would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Placing second would mean starting the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.
Championship Kickoff and Demonstration
The event was unveiled at an gathering in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday evening. Key representatives from Uefa and the organizing bodies were heckled as they arrived the venue by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from the sport because of the Gaza crisis.
Signs were displayed with messages saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists chanted: “Kick Israel out.”
Event Fixture List
The opening game of Euro 2028 will be staged at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a game that will include the Welsh team if they qualify.
Wembley will host the two semi-final matches 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 UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will cater to families and help engage a more diverse set of audiences.
Qualifying Teams
The Republic of Ireland are set to play their initial fixture at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.
The national sides of all four hosts will enter the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through the qualification path.
Venues and Knockout Stage
Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches held at the national stadium of each host.
The qualifying draw will be staged in Belfast, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.
Official Statement
“The event will be a championship for the fans and a showcase of everything we value about the football – its emotion and ability to bring people together.”
More than three million passes, a record for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be made available to attendees.
