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The England national team will initiate their Euro 2028 campaign at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they achieve the anticipated qualification for a championship taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

City’s stadium has not hosted an Three Lions match since the spring of 2016, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to welcome the Three Lions for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are set to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their knockout stage opener would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean starting the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Kickoff and Demonstration

The championship was unveiled at an event in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday night. Key representatives from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were heckled as they entered the site by about 50 activists, who demanded Israel’s national side to be expelled from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.

Placards were displayed with slogans stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Fixture List

The first match of the tournament will be staged at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will include the Welsh team if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the final, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a commencement at 5:00 PM.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be adopted for European club finals from next season, will attract households and help connect with a broader range of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Irish team are due to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would do the same at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will participate in the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that fail to qualify for the finals through the standard process.

Stadiums and Playoffs

Aston Villa’s stadium and The North London arena complete the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the quarterfinal matches held at every host’s main arena.

The qualifying draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on 6 December 2026.

Official Statement

“This will be a championship for the fans and a showcase of everything we love about the sport – its passion and capacity to unite individuals.”

Over 3 million tickets, a unprecedented number for a Euro tournament, are anticipated to be offered to fans.