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England’s men’s team will commence their Euro 2028 adventure at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they secure the anticipated entry for a competition taking place in the majority of the UK and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an England men’s game since May 2016, when the visitors were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to host the national team for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028.

England are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, should they win their group, their knockout stage opener would be held at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean beginning the knockouts at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Kickoff and Demonstration

The event was inaugurated at an gathering in a London landmark on the previous evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the host FAs were confronted as they entered the venue by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who demanded the Israeli team to be removed from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were displayed with messages saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Timeline

The inaugural fixture of Euro 2028 will be staged at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will feature Wales if they secure a place.

Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the title decider, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at 5pm.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be implemented for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will attract family audiences and help connect with a wider spectrum of audiences.

Host Nations

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their first game at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will enter the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be reserved for any that miss out on the finals through the qualification path.

Locations and Knockout Stage

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena complete the nine tournament locations. 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 staged 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 December 6, 2026.

Leadership Comment

“This will be a championship for the supporters and a festival of everything we cherish about the football – its fervor and ability to unite individuals.”

More than three million passes, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are anticipated to be released to fans.