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The English squad will commence their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the the home of Manchester City, assuming they achieve the expected qualification for a competition taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

City’s stadium has not hosted an English men’s game since May 2016, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is almost certain to stage the Three Lions for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, if they top Group B, their last-16 tie would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Kickoff and Protest

The tournament was launched at an gathering in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday evening. Senior figures from Uefa and the host FAs were barracked as they entered the site by around fifty activists, who urged Israel’s national side to be removed from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.

Placards were raised with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Schedule

The first match of the tournament will be staged at the Principality Stadium in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will feature the Welsh team if they secure a place.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is hoped that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help connect with a broader range of viewers.

Qualifying Teams

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

All four host countries’ teams will enter the qualification process; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that miss out on the tournament through the qualification path.

Venues and Elimination Phase

Villa Park and Spurs’ ground round out the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches held at each country’s national stadium.

The qualifying draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a host city last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026.

Tournament Vision

“It will be a competition for the fans and a celebration of everything we value about the football – its emotion and capacity to bring people together.”

Over 3 million passes, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be made available to attendees.