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The English squad will initiate their Euro 2028 campaign at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they achieve the relatively straightforward passage for a championship taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

The Etihad Stadium has not staged an English men’s match since May 2016, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to welcome the England side for their inaugural game on June 10, 2028.

England are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, should they win their group, their knockout stage opener would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean beginning the playoffs at Everton’s ground.

Championship Kickoff and Protest

The event was inaugurated at an event in central London on Wednesday evening. Key representatives from Uefa and the organizing bodies were confronted as they entered the location by about 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who called for Israel’s national side to be expelled from the sport because of the Gaza crisis.

Signs were held up with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Timeline

The first match of Euro 2028 will be played at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a fixture that will involve the Welsh team if they secure a place.

The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be played on July 9, 2028 with a kick-off time at late afternoon.

It is anticipated that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for European club finals from next season, will appeal to households and help reach a broader range of fans.

Host Nations

The Ireland are set to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and the Tartan Army would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the qualifying tournament; two automatic spots will be held in reserve for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through the qualification path.

Venues and Knockout Stage

The Birmingham venue and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium complete the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals held at the national stadium of each host.

The draw for the qualifiers will be held in Belfast, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be upgraded in time, on December 6, 2026.

Leadership Comment

“This will be a tournament for the supporters and a celebration of everything we love about the sport – its fervor and capacity to bring people together.”

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