England to Begin UEFA Euro 2028 Campaign at the Etihad Stadium
The English squad will embark on their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they secure the anticipated entry for a championship hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
City’s stadium has not hosted an England men’s 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 opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.
The English side are planned to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley, but, should they win their group, their knockout stage opener would be held at St James’ Park. Placing second would mean commencing the knockouts at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Tournament Kickoff and Protest
The event was inaugurated at an ceremony in central London on Wednesday night. Key representatives from Uefa and the host football associations were heckled as they entered the venue by approximately 50 activists, who urged the Israeli team to be removed from the sport because of the situation in Gaza.
Signs were displayed with slogans saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators chanted: “Kick Israel out.”
Event Schedule
The first match of Euro 2028 will be staged at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a match that will include the Dragons if they qualify.
Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be staged on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.
It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be implemented for UEFA Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to households and help reach a more diverse set of fans.
Qualifying Teams
The Irish team are due to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.
The national sides of all four hosts will enter the preliminary stage; two reserved places will be held in reserve for any that miss out on the tournament through the standard process.
Stadiums and Elimination Phase
Villa Park and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarter-finals played at the national stadium of each host.
The qualifying draw will be held in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it became clear the proposed venue could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.
Official Statement
“It will be a championship for the followers and a festival of everything we cherish about the sport – its emotion and capacity to unite individuals.”
In excess of three million tickets, a all-time high for a men’s European Championship, are projected to be offered to supporters.
