🔗 Share this article England to Start Euro 2028 Campaign at the Etihad Stadium The England national team will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 adventure at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they attain the anticipated entry for a championship hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic. City’s stadium has not welcomed an England men’s match since May 2016, when Turkey were overcome 2-1 in a friendly, but is expected to stage the England side for their inaugural game on a Saturday in June 2028. England are scheduled to play their final two group matches at Wembley, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their last-16 tie would be held at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean starting the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Championship Opening and Rally The tournament was launched at an event in a London landmark on the previous evening. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the host football associations were heckled as they approached the location by around fifty protesters, who demanded Israel’s national side to be kicked out from global football because of the Gaza crisis. Signs were displayed with phrases stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters called out: “Kick Israel out.” Tournament Schedule The opening game of the tournament will be held at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a fixture that will feature Wales if they make it. The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a start time at late afternoon. It is hoped that an afternoon start, which will also be used for Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to family audiences and help connect with a more diverse set of audiences. Host Nations The Republic of Ireland are scheduled to play their opening match at the Dublin stadium and Scotland would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park. The national sides of all four hosts will participate in the qualifying tournament; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through the standard process. Locations and Playoffs Villa Park and Spurs’ ground finalize the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches staged at every host’s main arena. The qualifying draw will be staged in Belfast, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be redeveloped in time, on December 6, 2026. Tournament Vision “The event will be a tournament for the fans and a showcase of everything we value about the game – its emotion and power to unite individuals.” In excess of three million admissions, a all-time high for a UEFA European Championship, are anticipated to be released to supporters.