England to Begin Euro 2028 Campaign at the Etihad Stadium
England’s men’s team will embark on their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they attain the expected passage for a tournament taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.
City’s stadium has not welcomed an Three Lions game since May 2016, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to host the England side for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.
The English side are planned to play their final two group matches at the national stadium, but, if they top their group, their knockout stage opener would be held at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean commencing the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Championship Kickoff and Protest
The tournament was inaugurated at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. Key representatives from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were heckled as they arrived the site by about 50 protesters, who urged Israel’s national side to be kicked out from the sport because of the Gaza crisis.
Banners were raised with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters shouted: “Kick Israel out.”
Event Schedule
The first match of the tournament will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a fixture that will feature the Dragons if they qualify.
Wembley Stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the championship match, which will be held on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.
It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be adopted for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to family audiences and help connect with a more diverse set of audiences.
Qualifying Teams
The Irish team are due to play their first game at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would do the same at the national stadium of Scotland.
The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualification process; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through that route.
Stadiums and Playoffs
Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches held at each country’s national stadium.
The qualifying draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was excluded as a host city last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.
Leadership Comment
“The event will be a tournament for the followers and a festival of everything we love about the sport – its passion and ability to bring people together.”
In excess of three million tickets, a record for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be offered to fans.
