The Three Lions to Begin the European Championship 2028 Journey at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium

The English squad will embark on their 2028 European Championship journey at the Manchester City’s stadium, assuming they attain the relatively straightforward qualification for a championship taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not hosted an England men’s game since May 2016, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to welcome the national team for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, should they win the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean commencing the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Opening and Demonstration

The event was launched at an gathering in central London on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the host football associations were barracked as they entered the location by about 50 activists, who urged Israel to be kicked out from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were held up with phrases saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Fixture List

The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be held at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will involve the Welsh team if they qualify.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will cater to families and help reach a more diverse set of fans.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are set to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that miss out on the tournament through the qualification path.

Stadiums and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena complete the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals held at each country’s national stadium.

The qualifying draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it emerged the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on 6 December 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a tournament for the fans and a showcase of everything we value about the sport – its passion and ability to unite individuals.”

In excess of three million tickets, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be offered to fans.

Pamela Neal
Pamela Neal

A seasoned luxury lifestyle writer with over a decade of experience covering high-end fashion and exclusive travel destinations.