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The English squad will embark on their 2028 European Championship adventure at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they attain the anticipated passage for a competition hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

City’s stadium has not staged an English men’s fixture since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to host the Three Lions for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.

The team are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, in the event of winning their group, their last-16 tie would be held at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean commencing the knockouts at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Launch and Rally

The championship was unveiled at an event in central London on Wednesday night. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host football associations were heckled as they approached the site by approximately 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who demanded the Israeli team to be kicked out from global football because of the Gaza crisis.

Banners were held up with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Schedule

The first match of the tournament will be held at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a match that will feature the Dragons if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the championship match, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a commencement at late afternoon.

It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for UEFA Champions League finals from the following campaign, will cater to households and help engage a wider spectrum of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.

All four host countries’ teams will take part in the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that do not reach the tournament through the qualification path.

Stadiums and Knockout Stage

The Birmingham venue and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the event’s nine venues. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches played at every host’s main arena.

The qualifying draw will be staged in Belfast, which was removed as a host city last year when it emerged the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on 6 December 2026.

Official Statement

“This will be a championship for the followers and a celebration of everything we value about the sport – its passion and capacity to foster unity.”

Over 3 million tickets, a record for a men’s European Championship, are expected to be made available to supporters.