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England’s men’s team will commence their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they achieve the expected entry for a tournament hosted across the majority of the UK and the Ireland.

Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an Three Lions game since May 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to stage the England side for their first match on a Saturday in June 2028.

England are planned to play their last two group stage games at Wembley, but, in the event of winning Group B, their round of 16 match would take place at St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean beginning the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Competition Opening and Protest

The tournament was launched at an event in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the host football associations were heckled as they entered the location by around fifty protesters, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

Signs were displayed with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a game that will feature the Dragons if they secure a place.

Wembley will host the penultimate rounds and the title decider, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at late afternoon.

It is anticipated that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help reach a wider spectrum of viewers.

Participating Countries

The Irish team are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would do the same at Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualifying tournament; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that do not reach Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Locations and Elimination Phase

Aston Villa’s stadium and Spurs’ ground round out the nine tournament locations. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals played at the national stadium of each host.

The draw for the qualifiers will be held in Belfast, which was excluded as a host city last year when it emerged Casement Park could not be upgraded in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“It will be a competition for the followers and a festival of everything we love about the game – its fervor and ability to bring people together.”

In excess of three million tickets, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be made available to attendees.