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The English squad will initiate their UEFA Euro 2028 campaign at the the home of Manchester City, provided that they achieve the expected passage for a tournament taking place in the bulk of Britain and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not staged an Three Lions game since the spring of 2016, when the Turkish team were beaten 2-1 in a exhibition match, but is almost certain to host the England side for their opening fixture on a Saturday in June 2028.

The English side are set to play their last two group stage games at Wembley, but, in the event of winning the preliminary round, their round of 16 match would take place at the Newcastle stadium. Placing second would mean beginning the elimination stage at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Kickoff and Protest

The championship was unveiled at an event in a London landmark on Wednesday night. Senior figures from European football’s governing body and the host football associations were heckled as they approached the location by around fifty activists, who demanded Israel to be expelled from global football because of the Gaza crisis.

Signs were raised with phrases saying “Show Israel the red card” and “You are complicit”, while protesters shouted: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Timeline

The opening game of Euro 2028 will be held at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on June 9, 2028, a match that will feature the Dragons if they qualify.

Wembley Stadium will host both semi-finals and the championship match, which will be staged on a Sunday in July 2028 with a start time at 5pm.

It is expected that an earlier start, which will also be implemented for Champions League finals from next season, will appeal to households and help reach a wider spectrum of viewers.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are due to play their initial fixture at the Dublin Arena and the Scottish team would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the qualification process; two automatic spots will be set aside for any that fail to qualify for the tournament through the standard process.

Locations and Elimination Phase

Aston Villa’s stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium round out the nine tournament locations. Every stadium will hold at least one playoff fixture, with the quarter-finals staged at every host’s main arena.

The qualification draw will be conducted in the Northern Irish capital, which was removed as a host city last year when it emerged the proposed venue could not be upgraded in time, on 6 December 2026.

Official Statement

“It will be a competition for the followers and a celebration of everything we value about the game – its emotion and ability to bring people together.”

More than three million passes, a unprecedented number for a UEFA European Championship, are expected to be released to attendees.