🔗 Share this article The Three Lions to Launch the European Championship 2028 Journey at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium England’s men’s team will initiate their Euro 2028 adventure at the Etihad Stadium, assuming they secure the expected entry for a tournament taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an England men’s match since eight years ago, when the visitors were overcome 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to host the national team for their inaugural game on June 10, 2028. The English side are set to play their concluding group fixtures at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their last-16 tie would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean beginning the playoffs at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium. Tournament Kickoff and Protest The event was launched at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were barracked as they approached the location by approximately 50 protesters, who called for the Israeli team to be kicked out from global football because of the situation in Gaza. Banners were raised with slogans stating “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists called out: “Kick Israel out.” Tournament Timeline The opening game of Euro 2028 will be held at the the national stadium of Wales in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a fixture that will include the Welsh team if they secure a place. Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a commencement at 5:00 PM. It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from the following campaign, will cater to households and help engage a broader range of audiences. Qualifying Teams The Republic of Ireland are set to play their opening match at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park. Each host nation’s squad will participate in the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that miss out on the tournament through that route. Stadiums and Knockout Stage Villa Park and Spurs’ ground complete the nine host stadiums. All will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarterfinal matches played at every host’s main arena. The qualifying draw will be held in Belfast, which was removed as a host city last year when it was revealed the proposed venue could not be redeveloped in time, on 6 December 2026. Tournament Vision “This will be a competition for the fans and a showcase of everything we cherish about the sport – its fervor and ability to foster unity.” In excess of three million tickets, a record for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be made available to attendees.