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The England national team will commence their Euro 2028 adventure at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they attain the expected entry for a tournament taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic.

City’s stadium has not hosted an England men’s game since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is expected to welcome the Three Lions for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The English side are scheduled to play their concluding group fixtures at the national stadium, but, should they win the preliminary round, their knockout stage opener would take place at St James’ Park. Finishing second would mean commencing the knockouts at Everton’s ground.

Championship Launch and Rally

The championship was unveiled at an event in central London on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the organizing bodies were heckled as they entered the site by approximately 50 protesters, who urged the Israeli team to be expelled from international football because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were raised with messages stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists chanted: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Fixture List

The first match of the tournament will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on June 9, 2028, a match that will involve the Dragons if they secure a place.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.

It is expected that an earlier kick-off, which will also be used for European club finals from next season, will cater to family audiences and help engage a broader range of audiences.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are set to play their first game at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would follow suit at the national stadium of Scotland.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualifying tournament; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that miss out on Euro 2028 through the standard process.

Venues and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground complete the nine host stadiums. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight held at every host’s main arena.

The draw for the qualifiers will be conducted in Belfast, which was removed as a venue city last year when it was revealed Casement Park could not be renovated in time, on a date in late 2026.

Tournament Vision

“The event will be a championship for the fans and a showcase of everything we cherish about the football – its fervor and power to bring people together.”

In excess of three million tickets, a all-time high for a men’s European Championship, are anticipated to be released to attendees.