🔗 Share this article The English Team to Start Euro 2028 Quest at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium England’s men’s team will initiate their Euro 2028 campaign at the Etihad Stadium, provided that they secure the expected qualification for a competition hosted across most of the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic. Manchester City’s home ground has not welcomed an English men’s match since eight years ago, when the Turkish team were defeated 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to stage the England side for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028. The team are set to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their last-16 tie would occur at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. Competition Opening and Demonstration The event was unveiled at an gathering in Piccadilly Circus on the previous evening. Senior figures from Uefa and the host FAs were confronted as they arrived the site by around fifty activists, who urged the Israeli team to be expelled from international football because of the situation in Gaza. Signs were displayed with slogans reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists called out: “Kick Israel out.” Tournament Timeline The opening game of the tournament will be played at the the national stadium of Wales in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a game that will involve Wales if they qualify. Wembley Stadium will host the two semi-final matches and the title decider, which will be held on Sunday 9 July with a start time at late afternoon. It is anticipated that an afternoon start, which will also be implemented for European club finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to families and help connect with a more diverse set of audiences. Host Nations The Irish team are set to play their first game at the Dublin stadium and the Scottish team would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park. All four host countries’ teams will take part in the qualification process; two guaranteed slots will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for Euro 2028 through the standard process. Locations and Playoffs The Birmingham venue and Spurs’ ground round out the nine host stadiums. Each one will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals staged at the national stadium of each host. The qualifying draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was excluded as a tournament location last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026. Tournament Vision “This will be a championship for the fans and a showcase of everything we love about the game – its passion and ability to foster unity.” More than three million tickets, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be offered to attendees.