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The England national team will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the the home of Manchester City, on the condition that they achieve the relatively straightforward qualification for a championship hosted across most of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not staged an England men’s match since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to host the national team for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

England are set to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, if they top the preliminary round, their knockout stage opener would be held at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean beginning the elimination stage at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Opening and Protest

The championship was launched at an event in a London landmark on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were heckled as they arrived the site by about 50 activists, who called for Israel’s national side to be kicked out from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

Placards were displayed with messages reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Schedule

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a match that will feature the Welsh team if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.

It is expected that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help reach a more diverse set of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are set to play their opening match at the Aviva Stadium and Scotland would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that miss out on the finals through the qualification path.

Locations and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finalize the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight staged at the national stadium of each host.

The qualification draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Official Statement

“This will be a tournament for the fans and a celebration of everything we cherish about the game – its emotion and ability to bring people together.”

Over 3 million admissions, a unprecedented number for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be made available to attendees.