England to Start the European Championship 2028 Campaign at the Etihad Stadium
The English squad will commence their Euro 2028 adventure at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they secure the expected entry for a championship taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
Manchester City’s home ground has not staged an Three Lions game since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is expected to stage the national team for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.
The team are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, should they win the preliminary round, their last-16 tie would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean starting the knockouts at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Championship Opening and Demonstration
The championship was launched at an gathering in central London on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were heckled as they approached the venue by approximately 50 activists, who demanded the Israeli team to be expelled from global football because of the conflict in Gaza.
Banners were held up with slogans reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists called out: “Kick Israel out.”
Event Schedule
The opening game of the European Championship will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will include the Welsh team if they qualify.
The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.
It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be used for European club finals from the following campaign, will appeal to families and help engage a broader range of viewers.
Qualifying Teams
The Republic of Ireland are set to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would do the same at Hampden Park.
The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that do not reach the finals through the qualification path.
Venues and Elimination Phase
Villa Park and The North London arena complete the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals played at the national stadium of each host.
The qualifying draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it was revealed the Belfast stadium could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.
Leadership Comment
“It will be a championship for the followers and a showcase of everything we cherish about the football – its emotion and power to foster unity.”
More than three million tickets, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be released to attendees.
