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The English squad will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the the home of Manchester City, provided that they secure the expected qualification for a tournament taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not welcomed an England men’s match since the spring of 2016, when the visitors were defeated 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to host the England side for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

England are set to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, if they top the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean beginning the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Kickoff and Demonstration

The tournament was unveiled at an event in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the organizing bodies were confronted as they approached the site by approximately 50 protesters, who called for Israel’s national side to be removed from international football because of the Gaza crisis.

Placards were displayed with messages stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Championship Timeline

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a fixture that will include Wales if they make it.

Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the final, which will be played on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at late afternoon.

It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be adopted for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will cater to family audiences and help reach a broader range of viewers.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their first game at the Dublin Arena 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 reserved places will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through the standard process.

Locations and Elimination Phase

Villa Park and Spurs’ ground round out the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals held at the national stadium of each host.

The qualifying draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was excluded as a host city last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a tournament for the fans and a celebration of everything we love about the game – its emotion and power to bring people together.”

More than three million passes, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are expected to be released to attendees.