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England’s men’s team will embark on their 2028 European Championship journey at the Manchester City’s stadium, provided that they attain the expected passage for a tournament staged throughout the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not hosted an English men’s fixture since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to welcome the Three Lions for their opening fixture on June 10, 2028.

The English side are planned to play their final two group matches at Wembley Stadium, but, in the event of winning Group B, their knockout stage opener would take place at Newcastle’s St James’ Park. Securing the runner-up spot would mean commencing the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Tournament Kickoff and Protest

The event was unveiled at an ceremony in Piccadilly Circus on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from Uefa and the organizing bodies were confronted as they approached the site by approximately 50 pro-Palestine demonstrators, who urged Israel’s national side to be removed from the sport because of the conflict in Gaza.

Banners were displayed with phrases reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while activists shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Event Schedule

The first match of the tournament will be staged at the Cardiff’s stadium in the Welsh capital, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will include the Welsh team if they qualify.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be played on Sunday 9 July with a kick-off time at late afternoon.

It is expected that an earlier kick-off, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to households and help connect with a broader range of audiences.

Host Nations

The Irish team are scheduled to play their first game at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would follow suit at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

All four host countries’ teams will enter the preliminary stage; two automatic spots will be reserved for any that do not reach the tournament through the standard process.

Stadiums and Playoffs

The Birmingham venue and The North London arena complete the nine tournament locations. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the quarterfinal matches staged at each country’s national stadium.

The qualification draw will be staged in Belfast, which was dropped as a tournament location last year when it emerged Casement Park could not be renovated in time, on December 6, 2026.

Tournament Vision

“This will be a championship for the fans and a festival of everything we cherish about the football – its passion and ability to unite individuals.”

More than three million admissions, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are anticipated to be offered to supporters.