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The England national team will embark on their 2028 European Championship journey at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they attain the relatively straightforward entry for a championship taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an English men’s game since May 2016, when Turkey were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to host the Three Lions for their inaugural game on June 10, 2028.

The English side are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would take place at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean commencing the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Launch and Protest

The championship was launched at an ceremony in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. Key representatives from Uefa and the organizing bodies were barracked as they arrived the location by around fifty activists, who urged the Israeli team to be removed from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.

Signs were displayed with slogans reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Schedule

The first match of the tournament will be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will include Wales if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the title decider, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at 5:00 PM.

It is expected that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will cater to families and help connect with a broader range of viewers.

Host Nations

The Irish team are set to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would follow suit 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 do not reach the tournament through that route.

Locations and Elimination Phase

Villa Park and The North London arena complete the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals held at every host’s main arena.

The qualification draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was dropped as a host city last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be upgraded in time, on a date in late 2026.

Leadership Comment

“This will be a tournament for the supporters and a showcase of everything we cherish about the sport – its passion and capacity to bring people together.”

Over 3 million admissions, a record for a Euro tournament, are expected to be made available to fans.