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The England national team will embark on their 2028 European Championship campaign at the Etihad Stadium, on the condition that they secure the expected entry for a tournament hosted across the bulk of Britain and the Irish Republic.

Manchester City’s home ground has not hosted an English men’s fixture since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were overcome 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is highly likely to host the national team for their opening fixture on Saturday 10 June 2028.

England are planned to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, should they win their group, their round of 16 match would occur at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean commencing the elimination stage at Everton’s ground.

Tournament Kickoff and Protest

The event was launched at an gathering in central London on the previous evening. Senior figures from the tournament organizers and the host football associations were barracked as they approached the site by approximately 50 activists, who urged Israel’s national side to be expelled from international football because of the situation in Gaza.

Banners were raised with messages reading “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while demonstrators shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Fixture List

The inaugural fixture of the European Championship will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on Friday 9 June, a game that will include Wales if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host the penultimate rounds and the title decider, which will be staged on July 9, 2028 with a commencement at late afternoon.

It is hoped that an earlier start, which will also be adopted for Champions League finals from the upcoming season, will appeal to family audiences and help engage a more diverse set of audiences.

Qualifying Teams

The Republic of Ireland are set to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and Scotland would play similarly at Hampden Park.

Each host nation’s squad will take part in the qualification process; two guaranteed slots will be held in reserve for any that miss out on Euro 2028 through the qualification path.

Stadiums and Elimination Phase

The Birmingham venue and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finalize the event’s nine venues. All will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight staged at the national stadium of each host.

The qualification draw will be conducted in Belfast, which was removed as a tournament location last year when it became clear the Belfast stadium could not be redeveloped in time, on a date in late 2026.

Official Statement

“The event will be a competition for the supporters and a celebration of everything we love about the sport – its passion and ability to unite individuals.”

In excess of three million tickets, a unprecedented number for a men’s European Championship, are anticipated to be made available to attendees.