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England’s men’s team will initiate their 2028 European Championship journey at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they achieve the relatively straightforward qualification for a tournament taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.

The Etihad Stadium has not staged an English 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 England side for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

The team are set to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, should they win the preliminary round, their knockout stage opener would occur at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Placing second would mean starting the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Kickoff and Protest

The championship was launched at an event in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. Key representatives from the tournament organizers and the host FAs were barracked as they entered the site by around fifty protesters, who urged Israel to be removed from global football because of the Gaza crisis.

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

Event Timeline

The opening game of the tournament will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on Friday 9 June, a match that will involve the Welsh team if they make it.

Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the championship match, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to family audiences and help engage a broader range of fans.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are due to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.

The national sides of all four hosts will take part in the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that do not reach the finals through the qualification path.

Stadiums and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and The North London arena round out the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals played at the national stadium of each host.

The qualifying draw will be held in Belfast, which was removed as a venue city last year when it became clear the proposed venue could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.

Leadership Comment

“It will be a championship for the fans and a festival of everything we cherish about the football – its emotion and power to unite individuals.”

Over 3 million tickets, a all-time high for a Euro tournament, are expected to be released to attendees.