The English Team to Launch UEFA Euro 2028 Quest at City’s Home Ground
The England national team will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 journey at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they achieve the relatively straightforward entry for a championship taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.
The Etihad Stadium has not hosted an Three Lions match since May 2016, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to stage the Three Lions for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.
The team are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win their group, their last-16 tie would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Placing second would mean beginning the elimination stage at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Tournament Opening and Protest
The event was inaugurated at an event in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the host football associations were barracked as they approached the venue by approximately 50 activists, who demanded Israel to be removed from the sport because of the Gaza crisis.
Signs were displayed with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.”
Event Timeline
The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a game that will feature the Welsh team if they qualify.
The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a commencement at 5pm.
It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will attract families and help connect with a more diverse set of viewers.
Participating Countries
The Irish team are due to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and the Scottish team would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.
All four host countries’ teams will enter the qualification process; two reserved places will be set aside for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through the qualification path.
Venues and Playoffs
Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarter-finals held at the national stadium of each host.
The draw for the qualifiers will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it became clear Casement Park could not be redeveloped in time, on 6 December 2026.
Tournament Vision
“The event will be a competition for the fans and a showcase of everything we value about the game – its emotion and capacity to unite individuals.”
More than three million passes, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are expected to be offered to supporters.
