🔗 Share this article The Three Lions to Launch Euro 2028 Campaign at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium The England national team will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the Manchester City’s stadium, on the condition that they attain the anticipated passage for a championship hosted across most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic. City’s stadium has not welcomed an England men’s fixture since May 2016, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to welcome the national team for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028. The team are scheduled to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, if they top Group B, their round of 16 match would occur at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean starting the knockouts at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium. Championship Opening and Rally The championship was launched at an gathering in a London landmark on the previous evening. Key representatives from Uefa and the host FAs were barracked as they arrived the venue by approximately 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who called for the Israeli team to be expelled from international football because of the Gaza crisis. Banners were displayed with slogans stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.” Event Schedule The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a fixture that will feature the Dragons if they secure a place. The national stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the final, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a start time at 5pm. It is anticipated that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for UEFA Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to households and help connect with a wider spectrum of audiences. Participating Countries The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park. The national sides of all four hosts will enter the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that miss out on the finals through that route. Venues and Knockout Stage Villa Park and The North London arena complete the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one elimination game, with the last eight held at each country’s national stadium. The qualification draw will be staged in the Northern Irish capital, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026. Official Statement “The event will be a championship for the fans and a showcase of everything we cherish about the sport – its passion and power to foster unity.” More than three million admissions, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are projected to be made available to fans.