The Three Lions to Begin UEFA Euro 2028 Journey at City’s Home Ground

The England national team will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, on the condition that they attain the expected entry for a championship taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

City’s stadium has not hosted an England men’s fixture since May 2016, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to welcome the Three Lions for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

England are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would occur at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Championship Kickoff and Protest

The tournament was launched at an ceremony in central London on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were barracked as they approached the site by approximately 50 protesters, who urged Israel to be removed from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

Signs were raised with slogans stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Schedule

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will involve Wales if they qualify.

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

It is expected that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will attract families and help engage a more diverse set of fans.

Host Nations

The Irish team are scheduled to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

All four host countries’ teams will take part in the qualification process; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that do not reach the tournament through that route.

Venues and Elimination Phase

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete 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 qualification draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a venue city last year when it was revealed the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Official Statement

“This will be a competition for the fans and a celebration of everything we cherish about the football – its passion and ability to foster unity.”

In excess of three million admissions, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be made available to supporters.