England to Start UEFA Euro 2028 Quest at the Etihad Stadium
The England national team will embark on their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the the home of Manchester City, provided that they achieve the expected entry for a tournament taking place in the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an English men’s game since May 2016, when Turkey were overcome 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is almost certain to stage the Three Lions for their inaugural game on Saturday 10 June 2028.
The team are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, if they top their group, their last-16 tie would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean starting the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Championship Opening and Protest
The championship was inaugurated at an ceremony in a London landmark on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the organizing bodies were barracked as they arrived the location by approximately 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who demanded Israel’s national side to be expelled from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.
Banners were raised with messages saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.”
Event Timeline
The first match of the tournament will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will include Wales if they make it.
The national stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the title decider, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a start time at 5pm.
It is expected that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for European club finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help engage a broader range of viewers.
Host Nations
The Republic of Ireland are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.
The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that miss out on Euro 2028 through the standard process.
Stadiums and Playoffs
The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground finalize the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals played at each country’s national stadium.
The qualifying draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a venue city last year when it became clear the proposed venue could not be redeveloped in time, on 6 December 2026.
Official Statement
“The event will be a competition for the followers and a showcase of everything we cherish about the football – its fervor and ability to foster unity.”
In excess of three million tickets, a record for a Euro tournament, are expected to be released to fans.
