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The England national team will embark on their 2028 European Championship adventure at the the home of Manchester City, provided that they secure the relatively straightforward qualification for a championship taking place in most of the United Kingdom and the Ireland.

City’s stadium has not hosted an Three Lions match since eight years ago, when Turkey were beaten 2-1 in a warm-up game, but is highly likely to stage the England side for their first match on Saturday 10 June 2028.

The team are planned to play their last two group stage games at the national stadium, but, should they win their group, their last-16 tie would be held at the Newcastle stadium. Finishing second would mean beginning the playoffs at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Championship Kickoff and Rally

The event was inaugurated at an ceremony in a London landmark on Wednesday evening. High-ranking officials from the tournament organizers and the organizing bodies were confronted as they arrived the location by about 50 activists, who demanded Israel’s national side to be expelled 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 protesters called out: “Kick Israel out.”

Tournament Timeline

The inaugural fixture of the tournament will be played at the Cardiff’s stadium in Cardiff, on a Friday in June 2028, a match that will feature Wales if they make it.

The national stadium will host both semi-finals and the title decider, which will be held on a Sunday in July 2028 with a kick-off time at 5:00 PM.

It is expected that an afternoon start, which will also be used for European club finals from the following campaign, will cater to households and help engage a broader range of viewers.

Participating Countries

The Republic of Ireland are set to play their initial fixture at the Aviva Stadium and the Tartan Army would play similarly at Glasgow’s Hampden Park.

The national sides of all four hosts will enter the preliminary stage; two guaranteed slots will be reserved for any that miss out on the finals through that route.

Venues and Elimination Phase

The Birmingham venue and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium finalize the event’s nine venues. Every stadium will hold at least one knockout match, with the last eight staged at every host’s main arena.

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

Leadership Comment

“It will be a competition for the fans and a celebration of everything we cherish about the sport – its passion and power to foster unity.”

Over 3 million passes, a record for a Euro tournament, are projected to be released to supporters.