The Three Lions to Begin UEFA Euro 2028 Journey at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium

The English squad will embark on their 2028 European Championship journey at the Manchester City’s stadium, on the condition that they secure the anticipated qualification for a championship taking place in the majority of the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

City’s stadium has not welcomed an Three Lions game since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to host the national team for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win Group B, their knockout stage opener would take place at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean starting the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Kickoff and Protest

The event was unveiled at an event in central London on Wednesday night. Key representatives from Uefa and the host football associations were barracked as they entered the site by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who demanded the Israeli team to be expelled from global football because of the situation in Gaza.

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

Championship Fixture List

The first match of Euro 2028 will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a fixture that will include the Dragons if they make it.

Wembley will host the two semi-final matches and the championship match, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a start time at late afternoon.

It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from the following campaign, will attract families and help connect with a broader range of fans.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would play similarly at the national stadium of Scotland.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be reserved for any that do not reach the finals through that route.

Locations and Elimination Phase

Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the event’s nine venues. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight staged at the national stadium of each host.

The qualification draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026.

Leadership Comment

“The event will be a championship for the fans and a showcase of everything we love about the game – its passion and ability to foster unity.”

Over 3 million admissions, a record for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be offered to supporters.